The Pokémon Representative
by Jalarious27
Summary: When the worlds of Pokémon and mages collide, Lowell Falkov will be the trainer to unite the two groups and show that they can all coexist peacefully. However, along the way he will discover things that he never thought were possible. Will he be able to overcome the challenges thrown at him, or will he be caught up in the storm that could potentially plunge the world into darkness.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey everybody. I am sorry for the long wait. Before I get on with the topic at hand, I want to address a couple of things.**

 **Just in case anyone was curious as to why several of my old stories disappeared, I deleted them, because I wanted a fresh start. In the past, I have lacked commitment to my stories, and I ended up just letting them sit there, without being updated. I want to change that, starting with this story. I can't guarantee a certain amount of chapters a week, but I will try to update it, at least once or twice a week. With school, as well as some family issues, it may slow me down, but I will try my hardest to keep up with this story. Just know that I will be working on this story as much as possible, so that I can keep updating it for all of you. I apologize to anyone who supported my other stories, but know that the support was and still is greatly appreciated.**

 **Secondly, this first chapter is a little on the short side, but I will try to make them longer, in the future. I want to use this as a chance to improve my writing, and to learn from past mistakes. I know that it won't be perfect, but no writer is perfect. I can only try my best, and work to improve in certain areas where I may be lacking. If anyone has any advice or any suggestions, please write a review, because I want to hear what you think.**

 **Okay! With all that rambling aside, I hope that you all enjoy the first chapter of** **The Pokémon Representative!**

* * *

It is a warm, August morning in Vaniville Town. For the past week, storms have ravaged the Kalos Region, leaving the ground soaking wet, and stripping the trees of most of their leaves. Many of the town's residents have chosen to remain in doors, in case of another spontaneous storm, but that isn't stopping Lowell Falkov from going outside and getting some work done.

Lowell is an eighteen-year old boy with a lean and muscular build, slightly tanned skin from his time spent training under the hot sun, and a head of messy, light-brown hair that spikes upwards. His eyes are a warm, forest-green color. He is wearing a gray tank-top, a pair of black sweatpants, and a pair of black shoes. He knew he would be outside, for a while, so he decided to wear something a little cooler.

For the past hour or so, he has been trying to clean up his family's yard. The trees have been stripped of their leaves, but they have managed to find their way to their front yard. Normally, Lowell wouldn't bother doing something as trivial as raking leaves, but he hasn't gotten out of the house in a couple of days, due to the rough weather. He figured that he may as well just do it, if only to get a bit of exercise.

Lowell placed the rake against the wall next to the front door before letting out a tired sigh and wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Looking out at the yard, he realized that he had only managed to clean about three quarters of the yard. Although he has probably cleaned the entire yard about four times, but more leaves just keep blowing into the yard, ruining the progress that he had made.

He looked up at the dark sky with a sigh, sounding almost like a growl. "Man, why does this have to be such a pain?" he complained to himself.

Moments later, he heard footsteps crunching through the leaves. He turned around, and he grinned, showing off his wolf-like canines. His first Pokémon, and partner for just over six years, Greninja, just walked out of the house. They had been working on the yard for a while, so Greninja had gone inside to get a bottle of water for his trainer, which was happily accepted.

Lowell gladly took the bottle of water from the bipedal frog's hand, and he drank about half of the bottle in one go. He moved the bottle away from his mouth, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Maybe we should've just gotten Charizard or Dragonite to blow away the leaves with their wings." Lowell suggested as he looked at his partner. "I mean, it's not like the neighbors are trying to clean their lawns. A couple more leaves wouldn't hurt them, right?" He doesn't want to do that, but he also doesn't feel like raking the yard for the fifth time in one day.

Greninja just responded with a croak of his name and a blank stare. Being friends for as long as they have, Lowell already knew what this meant, and he huffed.

"Fine, but just remember that we could've done it the easy way, and you refused." he responded before going back to work. Greninja just shrugged his shoulders before grabbing another rake and helping his partner.

* * *

Half an hour later, they were finally finished, minus a few leaves that are scattered here and there. Oh well, not everything can be perfect. Despite all the complaining, it wasn't very difficult. Lowell has done much harder physical labor than raking leaves, and he could've done it by himself, but it went by much quicker with Greninja helping him.

They both walked in the house, sweat dripping from their bodies. After a long morning of raking, both agreed that it was time for a much-needed break. Stepping into the kitchen, they noticed Lowell's mother, Kristina Falkov, standing in front of the stove. She heard the two of them walk in, so she turned around and smiled at them.

Kristina Falkov is a middle-aged woman with long, light-brown hair that stops mid-way down her back, cerulean-blue eyes, and clear skin. She is a couple inches short than Lowell, making her just over five and a half feet tall. She is currently wearing a purple, short-sleeved shirt, a pair of white pants, and a white apron with a purple floral pattern on it.

"I see that the two of you have worked up an appetite." she responded happily. Seeing their sweat-stained clothes, she let out a small sigh, before chuckling. "How about you sit down and eat, and then you can go get changed. I don't want you stinking up the house." she said with a mock tone of seriousness in her voice.

The trainer and his Pokémon simply nodded before sitting down at the kitchen table. Kristina placed a plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, and sausages in front of Lowell, while she gave Greninja some fresh Oran Berries. When she first met Greninja, she was a little surprised to learn of his love for sweet things. She makes sure to keep that in mind whenever she bakes.

The three of them ate their respective breakfasts, engaging in a little small talk here and there. However, with the storms coming and going, nothing has really happened, leaving them with very little to talk about. The silence continued for several more minutes, until Lowell's mother remembered something.

"I almost forgot. Bella is supposed to be performing, tonight." she said, instantly catching her son's attention. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the eager look his face. It has been a while since he last saw his older sister.

Ever since they were children, Lowell aspired to become a Pokémon Trainer, and Bella dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Performer. She was set up pretend performances in their living room, and Lowell would be her audience. Even though it wasn't real, he would cheer her on, and he would smile and laugh along with her. After she became a performer, that didn't change. Whenever possible, he would watch her performances on television, or in person, if possible. To this day, he is her number one fan, and she is his.

"Really?" he asked with a big smile on his face. The only time that he smiles like this is when his sister is involved. After their father passed away, she was the person who kept their family together, and she was also the one who could remind him of the good things in life. For a lack of better words, she is his inspiration. "What time does it start?"

His mother looked at the clock in the kitchen, seeing that it is just passed nine in the morning. "It starts around six, tonight. That should be enough time for you to get changed, go see the professor, and then get back here."

Lowell raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Why would I go see the professor?" After concluding his journey, a year ago, the professor took Lowell on as an assistant. However, considering the bad weather, the professor told Lowell that he didn't have to worry about work for the next couple of days.

His mother let out a small gasp. "Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you, but he called, while you two were working outside. He said that he needed to speak with you about something important." she explained.

Lowell's eyes narrowed for a moment, and Greninja mimicked him. Both know that something serious must've come up, if he tried to get in touch with him, after he had essentially given him time off.

He exchanged a quick glance with Greninja, and the two of them nodded their heads at each other. They know what they must do.

Lowell and Greninja quickly stood up from the kitchen table, and Lowell began to head towards his room, upstairs. "I'll be back as soon as possible. This must be important if he took the time to contact us." he told his mother.

Kristina watched as her son went up the stairs, letting out a small sigh. She knows that he can take care of himself. He proved as much when he defeated Lysandre and Team Flare. However, she can't help but worry, knowing that her son might possibly get caught up in something like that again.

She shook her head, clearing her mind of those thoughts. _"I can't think like that. Even if something does come up, he isn't alone. He has his Pokémon with him; his friends and family. I just need to have faith that they will be alright."_ she thought.

* * *

Half an hour later, Lowell came downstairs clean, and in a fresh change of clothing. He is now sporting a short-sleeved, purple shirt with a button-down collar, underneath a thick, silver-gray coat with white furs on the inside. It reaches down below his waist, and the sleeves reach his wrists. On the back of the coat, there is a purple infinity symbol near the middle of his back. However, it remains unzipped, since he doesn't want to get too hot. He is also wearing a pair of black jeans held up by a black belt that has a silver buckle, and a pair of black boots. On his right hand, he now has a silver ring with a keystone embedded in the center.

He walked to the front of the house, where Greninja and his mother were waiting for him. He can tell that his mother is worried; she always is. Whenever he leaves to do work for the professor, she always worries that he will get into trouble. He would love to reassure her, but he can't. You never know what life will throw at you next. Plus, no matter what he said, she would still worry, because she is his mother. It's her job to worry about the safety of her children.

She walked up to him and gave him a big hug, which Lowell returned. After a moment, they separated from the hug, and Lowell went to stand next to Greninja.

"Hopefully whatever he needs to say won't take long. If it does, then I will call you to let you know." he said.

She nodded her head in understanding with a sad smile on her face. "Just promise me that you will be careful. I don't want you coming home covered in bandages." she said.

Lowell grinned, flashing his wolf-like teeth. "I won't make any promises." he said jokingly. He saw her scowl at him, and he began to laugh, which made his mother smile. He doesn't laugh much, anymore, after what happened to his father. Even though she is worried about him, his laugh is enough to reassure her that he will be okay. "Quit worrying so much. I've got my Pokémon with me. If something were to happen, then they would have my back." he said, looking towards Greninja, who gave him a nod of affirmation.

The sight in front of her made Kristina happy. She can still remember the days that Lowell was too sad to come out of his room. It hurt her, to see the normally cheerful child so upset. She is glad that, even though he isn't as cheerful as he once was, he has grown into a strong, independent person who has forged such strong bonds with Pokémon. The more that she looks at him, the more she can see a piece of his father in him.

She was almost about to start crying, but she was snapped out of her thoughts due to a bright blue flash. Then, a loud roar echoed through the small town, shaking some of the buildings and causing some of the stray leaves to scatter once more.

Standing in front of her is Lowell's Charizard. He has his head bent down, allowing Lowell to pet him. No matter how many times she has seen it happen, she can't believe how sweet Charizard can be. She never expected such an intimidating looking Pokémon to be so kind.

Lowell jumped on top of Charizard's back, before calling Greninja back into his poke ball. He doesn't mind flying, but he would rather stay in his poke ball. It also might have something to do with how Charizard tried to prank him, by dropping him and then catching him right before he hit the ground. Charizard is nice, but when he gets bored, he isn't afraid to joke around.

Charizard raised his wings, signaling that he was about to take off. This gave Kristina enough warning to step back a bit, otherwise she would've gotten caught up in the cloud of dust that picked up when Charizard flapped his wings. She learned that the hard way.

Charizard then let out a roar and began to fly towards their destination. Kristina waved to them as they flew away, wishing them a safe travel.

* * *

Charizard soared through the sky, scaring away many of the smaller flying-type Pokémon that he passed. He is probably flying way too fast, considering that Lumiose City isn't that far away, but he enjoys flying. Other than battling and helping around the house, it is his favorite thing to do. Plus, it is something that he can say that he is better at than Lowell's Dragonite. The two of them have a sort of rivalry with the other. They are friends, but they both want to prove themselves, and sometimes that causes them to fight. Lowell has tried to talk them out of fighting, but ultimately, there is no real harm from it, so he doesn't give it too much importance. After all, it is something that drives them forward.

Meanwhile, Lowell is struggling to stay on Charizard's back. He enjoys flying, but he will admit that Charizard can go a little too fast, for his liking. However, he is also worried about what the professor has to say, making it hard for him to focus on not falling off the fire-type's back.

 _"_ _Maybe he just wants to discuss a recent discovery he has made."_ Lowell thought. _"When the storms first started, he contacted me and told me that a strange energy source was detected, off the coast of Kalos. Maybe if I am lucky, he just wanted to let me know that he found out what the energy was. Or maybe he just wants me to go look for more information."_ He let out a sigh, knowing that it would just mean more work for him.

"As long as I don't miss Bella's performance, I don't care." he muttered to himself.

Ever since Bella became a performer, they haven't had much time to see each other. When she did have some free time, Lowell was off on his journey, and she had trouble getting a hold of him. They talk over the phone, here and there, but he misses her, and watching her performances lets him see her, even if it isn't in person.

He tightened his grip on Charizard as the two of them flew over Santalune City. At the speed they are going, it shouldn't take much longer for them to arrive in Lumiose. He let himself relax on Charizard's back, as he anticipated the meeting with the professor.

Minutes later, the citizens of Lumiose City heard a loud roar, and they could see a red blur flying towards them. Some of them tried to get a better look, but they were almost run over by Charizard as he landed in the crowded streets. When he landed, he caused a small shockwave that knocked several people down. However, this doesn't surprise the people in the street. They have gotten quite used to Charizard's harsh landings over the past year.

Lowell hopped off Charizard's back with a small grunt, landing one knee with one hand on the ground. He stood up and took a moment to brush some dirt off his pants before looking back at Charizard.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to land in the middle of a crowd of people?" he asked and received a shrug of the shoulders from Charizard. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright. You are just lucky that you didn't create a crater in the ground…again. I had to pay to fix it, last time, and it wasn't cheap."

Charizard remembered that event, and he frowned a bit. He doesn't mean to cause trouble sometimes. He just tends to overdo things. He feels bad for causing his trainer and friend trouble.

He bent his head down and lightly rubbed it against Lowell's shoulder, as a sort of apology. Lowell sighed before letting a small grin form on his lips. Charizard could be a handful, sometimes, but he can't stay mad at him. It isn't like his other Pokémon haven't done similar things. Heck, he has made his fair share of mistakes, as well, so he can't blame Charizard for getting a little too excited when he flies.

Lowell gently rubbed Charizard's head before moving away from him. The heat from Charizard's tail was right next to his back, and it was starting to make him uncomfortable.

"No need to apologize, buddy." he said as he took out Charizard's poke ball. "Take a little break. When we go back home, I'll let you fly us back."

Charizard excitedly nodding his head, looking forward to the journey back home. A red beam surrounded his body as he went back into his poke ball.

Lowell put his poke ball back in his pocket, all while shaking his head. "Sometimes I think he enjoys flying too much." he mumbled quietly, remembering the times when he took the children in Vaniville Town for a ride on his back. Of course, he took it slow, and he didn't go too high. Charizard could be careless, sometimes, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't think.

He gave a short greeting to the people around him, some of which he recognizes from his constant visits to the city. Some of them even smile and wave back to him. Normally Lowell wouldn't be a big fan of huge crowds, but he has gotten used to the crowded streets of Lumiose.

Although he noticed that there aren't as many people in the streets as there usually are. There is still a lot of people, but the streets aren't as loud or busy.

 _"_ _It must be because of the weather."_ he thought. He still doesn't understand where those storms came from. No one saw them coming, and it happened all over Kalos. Then, about a day ago, the rain just stopped. What Lowell found even stranger is that it started around the same time the professor detected that strange energy source. Perhaps they could be connected, somehow. There is only one way to find out.

It didn't take too long for Lowell to reach the professor's lab. He didn't land too far away from the lab, and he has been there so many times, he couldn't possibly forget where it is at. Although he could understand how some people would miss it. Even Lowell was surprised when he first saw the lab, which from the outside, looks more like a house than a lab.

He knocked on the door, and for a while, no one came to answer it. However, he could hear someone yelling, and then footsteps coming near the door. It swung open, and he saw Sophie, another assistant of the professor.

` She has flowing blue hair, and green eyes. She is wearing a light-blue, collared shirt, a white lab coat, and a gray skirt. Upon seeing Lowell, a small smile appeared on her face.

"Hello, Lowell. I am glad that you came, as fast as you did." she said gratefully.

Lowell just nodded before following Sophie into the lab. There isn't any time for small talk, if there is something important going on.

"So, what exactly is going on? What was so important that it required my attention?" he asked as they made their way to the back of the lab, where he is assuming the professor is waiting.

Normally, the professor only calls when he needs him to investigate something, that he doesn't know much about. If this is a similar case, then it may take longer than Lowell anticipated.

"Do you remember the energy source that the professor had discovered, about a week ago?" Sophie asked, causing Lowell to sigh and nod his head.

"I had a feeling that was what this was about." he responded. "I'm guessing that you found out what it was." he assumed.

She nodded, but then looked away from him. "Yes, and what we found was…a little shocking. However, I will the let professor explain it to you in more detail."

He nodded his head in understanding, but he is having a bad feeling about this. What could shock the professor like this?

The two of them walked through a pair of doors in the back of the lab, and they found the professor sitting in front of a large computer screen, displaying various numbers and symbols. The professor heard the door open, and he turned to face them. The serious look on his face faded a little when he saw Lowell.

He stood up and began to walk towards them. Lowell, I am so glad you coul- "he was interrupted by Lowell.

"Professor, let's stop the small talk." Lowell said with narrowed eyes. "We both know that this is important. It would be better if we get straight to the point."

The professor flinched a little at Lowell's serious tone, but he nodded in understanding, before his gaze turned serious.

"Alright, then. First things first." He said turning towards the computer. "After doing some calculations, we've discovered that the strange source of energy is nearly as strong as Mega Evolution." he said, causing Lowell's eyes to widen. "However, that isn't what surprised us. What surprised us is what the energy is, and where it is coming from."

He sat back down in front of the computer, and he began to type away at his keyboard. Seconds later, an image of a large continent appeared on the screen. Lowell's eyes widened in shock upon seeing the size of the continent. It is much larger than anything he has seen.

"W-what is that?" he asked the professor.

"This is a continent known as Ishgar. It was discovered just under a week ago, miles off the coat of Kalos." he explained without looking away from the screen.

The information sunk in, and Lowell couldn't believe what he just heard. At this point, Greninja had come out of his poke ball, which had gone unnoticed by Lowell, and he is just as surprised as he is. How did an entire continent just appear out of nowhere, in the middle of the ocean? It doesn't make any sense.

"Diantha was informed of this, so she went to check it out. However, what she found was a shock to all of us." the professor explained. He was silent for a moment, before speaking again. "Apparently, the energy source is called Ethernano, which is converted into magical power."

Lowell and Greninja were left speechless. Pokémon had access to a wide variety of abilities and skills, but they were never considered magical. However, hearing that magic suddenly exists; it is a lot to take in. Although, there is one thing that Lowell wants to know.

"How have we just found out about this?" he asked, dumbfounded.

The professor responded by shrugging his shoulders. "As far as we know, Ishgar, as well as magic have never existed, until a week ago. Plus, according to the citizens of Ishgar, they come from a world known as Earthland." he explained.

Lowell nodded his head and placed his hand underneath his chin in thought.

 _"_ _It would make sense. If magic had existed before now, we would've known about it. That would also explain the sudden appearance of Ishgar; it must be because of magic. However, that leads to another question. How did they end up here? Could the sudden weather be connected to magic, as well?"_ Lowell thought.

He was so caught up in his thoughts, that he didn't feel Greninja poking him no his shoulder, trying to get his attention. He had been standing there for nearly three minutes, staring intently at the ground, and not making any sudden movements or sounds.

Sophie was about to say something, but Lowell's head snapped forward, making them jump.

"If Diantha already figured out what the source of all this is, why did you need me?" he asked.

The professor let out a tired sigh as he rested his hands on the desk in front of him. "Ishgar is separated into different kingdoms. The kingdom that Diantha went to is known as Fiore. She has spoken with the king of Fiore, as well as the Magic Council, which supposedly keeps the order in the magic world. Ever since they arrived in our world, the Pokémon have begun to flock to this nation, and many people are frightened by them." he explained.

"It would make sense, considering that they have no idea what Pokémon are. The them, they are probably just monsters that have come to attack them." Lowell reasoned.

The professor and Sophie both nodded in agreement. "Exactly. That is why they requested the presence of a trainer. They have seen Diantha and her team, but they want to see more proof that Pokémon and humans can coexist peacefully. In a way, you will be acting as a representative on behalf of the Pokémon, as well as Earth, to prove that we can all live without conflict."

For a moment, Lowell was silent, worrying his partner. He feared that he had gotten lost in his own thoughts, again, until he had broken the silence.

"Alright, I'll do it." he said.

This took the professor and Sophie by surprise, as well as Greninja. They had a feeling that would be his answer, but they were expecting him to think it over, some more.

"Really?" the professor asked.

Lowell simply nodded. "It is going to be a lot of extra work, but at least it is something important." he responded.

 _"_ _It looks like I am missing Bella's performance, tonight."_ he thought sadly.

A big smile formed on the professor's face. "Alright, then. A helicopter will be prepared to take you to Fiore, whenever you are ready. You will be meeting your escort in a port town, known as Hargeon."

Lowell raised a brow at the professor. "What do you mean, an escort?" he asked. "I can take care of myself."

Professor Sycamore nodded in agreement. "I know, but the king chose to do this as a sign of good faith. He wants to show that they are willing to make peace, and avoid a conflict.

Though he doesn't feel like an escort is necessary, Lowell does understand the purpose of it. One wrong move, and it is possible that a war could break out. The king wants to avoid that, and if he were to refuse the escort, then it may be taken to offense.

"Fine. Who is my escort?" he asked.

"I don't know any names, but they are a member of the strongest mages guild in Fiore." the professor replied.

From reading books, he knows that mages can use magic to do a wide variety of things. Even though he doesn't need an escort, it will be interesting to see a mage in action.

"What is the name of the guild?" Lowell asked.

The professor scratched his chin in thought. "If I remember correctly, its name is…Fairy Tail."

* * *

 **AN: Alright! That wraps up the first chapter of my brand new story. I hope that you all enjoyed it. There is room for improvement, but that is why I want you to write a review, if you have any ideas that could possibly help me improve upon my writing. Writing is something that I love doing, but I also want to make sure that all of my readers enjoy what I am writing, as well. I want to make people happy, and to inspire others like many writers have done for me.**

 **Well, that is about it. I should be posting another chapter within a few days, if everything goes according to plan. I hope that you enjoyed, and that you all have a wonderful day!**


	2. Chapter 2

In an unknown part of Fiore, dark clouds hover over a group of tall mountains. Thunder booms in the sky, and the occasional lightning bolt will strike parts of the mountain side. At the peak of the tallest mountain, there are six figures standing around a black, stone pedestal.

All around the pedestal, there are strange symbols and letters written on the cold, hard ground. It forms a spiral around the pedestal, stopping at its base. On top of the pedestal, there is a purple crystal with black specks in it, which has shattered in several places, causing purple dust to fall to the ground below it.

One man stepped forward, revealing himself to be a tall, middle-aged man with short, blonde hair that spikes downwards, golden eyes, and somewhat pale skin. He is wearing a black, hooded cloak that reaches down below his knees, with sleeves that reach his wrists. There is a black glove covering his left hand, but on the back of his right hand, there is a golden symbol resembling a wing, in front of a moon. He looked up at the sky, admiring the dark clouds that loom above them. A small smirk formed on his lips.

"Our plans may have been foiled the first time, but they shall not be foiled a second time." His voice was calm, yet it had a sense of intimidation that made the spines of those around him shiver. "Nothing can stop the maelstrom that Midnight Albatross intends to create, even these…creatures that have begun to appear, suddenly." he spoke, thinking back to the first time he feasted his eyes on a Pokémon that had been flying above the mountains, days prior. In fact, more keep flying overhead, making him slightly interested in the creatures.

"But Astro…" a gray-haired man spoke from behind his leader. His hair is short, with a single bang covering part of his right eye. His eyes are a bright blue that can compare to that of the blue sky. He is wearing a gray jacket that stops below his waist, with sleeves that stop just below his elbows. Underneath it, he is wearing a light-blue kimono that has a gray sash wrapped around his waist. He is also wearing a pair of light-brown sandals. In his left hand, he is holding a long, brown sheath. Much like his leader, he has a similar symbol on his right hand, but it is sky-blue. "What is to say that these creatures are not to blame for our casting of Maelstrom to be interrupted? It cannot be a mere coincidence that these creatures started appearing after the spell failed."

Astro stayed silent, but he knew that his underling had a point. He didn't let his followers believe that it worried him, because they trusted him to make their dreams a reality, and he did not want to make it sound like he was failing them. Though in all reality, he is furious, and those around him can tell, even under the calm expression that he is keeping up.

Another figure stepped forward, this time being a female with long, flowing dark-red hair and ash-gray eyes with speckles of red. Her skin is well-toned and slightly tanned, giving her the appearance of a fierce warrior, despite being on the shorter side of things. Her attire further proves this. She is wearing a brown, horned helmet on top her head, and white bandages are wrapped around her chest, with no top covering her upper body, allowing her well-toned stomach to show. Around her wrists, she is wearing red arm braces outlined with bronze. She is also wearing a pair of red shorts, and a pair of black boots that stop above her ankles. Resting on the ground beside her is a long, dual bladed axe with a red rod, and black axe-blades. Her symbol is located on her right shoulder, in red.

She has a slight frown on her face, but she still spoke. "As much as I hate to admit it, Gale has a point, Master." she admitted regretfully. "There isn't much we know about these creatures. They could very well be the cause of Maelstrom's incompletion."

Suddenly, cackling laughter could be heard from beside the red-headed girl. It came from a man with long, snow-white hair, pale skin, and cold, blue eyes. He appears to be in his early or mid-twenties, much like the girl beside him. He is wearing a white cloak over his bare shoulders, revealing the white guild mark on the right side of his stomach. His pants are an icy-blue, outlined with white, reaching down to his white boots. In his left hand, he is holding a brown staff with icicle-like design on one end. Just hearing him laugh made the red-haired girl furious.

"Well, this is a first." he responded while still laughing. "Since when has Etna Blaire ever admitted something to anyone?" he asked with a sarcastic tone, continuing to succeed in making Etna angrier and angrier. However, he doesn't seem to feel bad about it. He seems to rather enjoy how much he is irritating the fiery red-head.

Etna began to growl a bit, as she reached for her axe. However, she was halted by someone placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her, and she saw the ever-serious face of Dmitri, giving her a look that is trying to say, "Don't go any further." She sighed and stood back up, facing away from the annoying white-haired man.

Dmitri is a tall, and buff man, with dark skin, short, brown hair, and black eyes. He is wearing a long-sleeved, black shirt underneath a bronze chest plate with the Midnight Albatross symbol over his heart, in black. He is sporting a pair of brown pants, and a pair of black boots.

Dmitri looked towards the white-haired man with a slightly irritated glare. "Miyuki, quit trying to annoy Blaire. We don't have time for such foolishness." he said sternly before returning to his spot beside Blaire, on her right.

Miyuki sighed, but did as Dmitri said. He would rather not start a fight, right about now.

Meanwhile, Astro never took his eyes away from the clouds above. Of course, the constant bickering of his followers gives him a head, but he tries to ignore it, the best he can. He could stop it, if he really wanted to but he has gained the trust of the five people around him, and he would rather not lose it, because he lost his temper. However, he knows that their arguments only last for so long before they finally cease, so he just had to be patient.

He took their silence as them being finished with their arguments. "Anyways, yes, I do believe that these creatures are responsible, at least partially, for why Maelstrom was unable to be finished. However, once we manage to repair the lacrima for the ritual, and acquire the necessary magic power, we should be able to continue with the spell, with no further interruptions." Astro explained.

Most them nodded their heads in agreement, confident that they would be able to get it right, the second time. However, there was one person who remained completely still and did not join in on the arguments earlier. He remains closest to the edge of the mountain peak, watching several flying-type Pokémon trying to escape from the storm. He is a middle-aged man with light-brown, spiky hair, and blue eyes. He has a muscular build, tan skin, and a beard growing under his chin. He is wearing a light-blue, sleeveless vest outlined with purple that reveals his toned stomach, a pair of darker blue shorts, and a pair of black boots with dark-blue soles and laces. He also has a black belt wrapped around his waist with a silver buckle. His guild symbol is on his left forearm.

"I never thought that I would come back to the world of Pokémon." he muttered to himself.

* * *

In the town of Hargeon Port, a young girl with shoulder-length, blue hair, brown eyes, and clear skin. She is a little shorter than most girls her age. Her hair is tied up with a colorful bandanna wrapped around her head, and she is wearing an orange dress that stops just below her waist. A white bow is tied around her neck, resting over her chest, and a white symbol with an orange outline can be seen on her left shoulder blade. This is Levy McGarden, a mage from the Fairy Tail guild.

She is currently walking through the port town, awaiting the arrival of the person she was supposed to escort to the capital of Fiore, Crocus. She doesn't know very much about the boy, except that he is something called a Pokémon Trainer. Up until a couple days ago, Levy had never heard of Pokémon. All of a sudden, they just start appearing out of nowhere, and many began attacking large cities and small villages, alike. People had begun to send in new job requests involving these creatures, and they have been keeping the mages all across Fiore on their toes. Hardly any of them have had a chance to rest, since they have appeared. However, she is very interested to meet someone who apparently is able to command them in battle.

However, she can't help but be a little nervous. She has no idea what to expect from the boy she is supposed to escort, and she isn't exactly the strongest fighter in Fairy Tail. She is smart, but when it comes to a fight, she has to rely a lot on those around her. If something were to go wrong on this job, then there would be very little she could do about it. Still, that doesn't mean she won't try her best. Master Makarov is counting on her to get the job done, and that is what she is going to do.

* * *

 _Several days before, in the Fairy Tail guild hall, a majority of the guild was away on jobs, most of which involving Pokémon. This left the guild hall unusually quiet, especially considering that its loudest and most destructive members were all away from the guild._

 _One of the few members still in the guild was Levy, who was sitting at the bar and reading a book. Both of her teammates, Jet and Droy, had left on a job, and they wouldn't be back for a couple of days. She offered to join them, but they insisted that they go by themselves, because they wanted to prove that they could take tough jobs, without always relying on Levy. She didn't mind. In fact, she was happy that they were trying to improve themselves, but that left her alone, and rather bored._

 _She decided that she may as well read a book, so that she could do something to pass her time. However, her thoughts kept wandering to the topic that was on everyone's minds: the strange creatures that had come from nowhere. She wanted to learn more about them, like where they came from, or how many different species of them existed, since she had heard from several people that so many of them look completely different than the others. As much as she is worried about them, she can't help but see it as a chance to learn something new._

 _She was reading, when the door to the guild flew open. Makarov Dreyar, the current master of Fairy Tail, and Gajeel Redfox, the guild's Iron Dragon Slayer, had come back from the most recent guild master's meeting. They were discussing the current situation with those creatures, and trying to figure out a way to deal with them._

 _As soon as they walked through the doors, Mirajane Strauss noticed them, and she greeted them with her usual smile. "Welcome back! How was the meeting, Master?"_

 _Makarov took a seat on the bar's counter, and Mirajane handed him a bottle of booze, which he quickly took a swig from. "Things are definitely a mess, that's for sure." he responded._

 _Gajeel sat in a corner of the guild and began to snack on some iron before contributing in the conversation. "Yeah. Somebody fucked up pretty badly." he responded as he continued to eat some iron._

 _This caught Levy's attention, and she looked up from her book, curiosity written all over her face. "Master, what happened?" she asked._

 _The old Master sighed before taking another sip of his drink. "Well, for starters, we found out what those strange creatures are." he said, making Levy rather excited._

 _"_ _Really?! What are they?" she asked eagerly._

 _"_ _According to the magic council, a woman known as Diantha showed up in the capital, a few days ago. She told them of these creatures, which are known as Pokémon." he explained._

 _"_ _Pokémon?" Levy said, scrunching her brows in thought. "I've never heard of such a thing."_

 _The master shook his head. "That would make sense. After all, they are not creatures that exist in our world. In fact, we are no longer in Earthland." he said, shocking the few members present in the guild._

 _"_ _W-what?! How is that even possible?" Macao exclaimed._

 _"_ _Yeah! How are we no longer in Earthland?!" Wakkaba asked._

 _"_ _Do you all remember the bright flash that occurred several days ago? The one that supposedly lit up the entirety of Fiore, and possibly even Ishgar?" Master Makarov asked._

 _The members of the guild nodded, recalling the strange event that took place. After the flash subsided, they assumed that nothing had happened, since they couldn't see any noticeable changed, however, that was just because the geography of Fiore wasn't changed. It was simply moved from one world to another._

 _"_ _Well, from the information we have gathered, Fiore, and quite possibly all of Ishgar has merged with another world, known as Earth. On Earth, Pokémon are a part of everyday living. People and Pokémon coexist, and they work together to achieve things that humans alone would not be able to accomplish." he explained._

 _Levy listened closely intently. At first glance, Pokémon appeared to be hostile, but they are just looking for a new home, after Fiore appeared and destroyed their old ones. The fact that they work together with people prove even further that they shouldn't be feared. The more she hears about them, the more interested she becomes._

 _"_ _Wait. So, do people on Earth use magic, or is it like Edolas?" Max asked. He hadn't been to Edolas, himself, but he heard about it from the members that had._

 _The master shook his head. "No, I am afraid not. Unlike Earthland and Edolas, Earth has never been influenced by magic, since Ethernano has never existed in their world, until now. For all we know, now that Fiore is a part of Earth, Ethernano may spread and give them access to magic, but we are not sure, as of now."_

 _"_ _What about the creatures?" Levy asked. "From what I know, these creatures have access to unique abilities, which can be compared to magic. What is the source of the power, if it is not magic?"_

 _The master shook his head once more and took another drink. Everything that is going on is starting to give him a headache, and he is starting to wish that he never took back the position of Master. "We are not sure. Not even Diantha knew the exact reason behind their powers. However, we are certain that it is not magic. Not a single mage has sensed magic power emanating from one of these Pokémon."_

 _Levy took in all that information. Creatures who had powers without the use of magic? How could such a thing be possible? Whenever she gets the chance, she is planning on researching the Pokémon, as much as possible._

 _Levy was snapped out of her thoughts when Mirajane spoke. "Master, you mentioned a woman, named Diantha. She must be from Earth, if she knows so much about Pokémon. Who exactly is she?"_

 _The master tried to recall everything he had learned to his children, including the different regions, the Pokémon League, and Pokémon Trainers. To the mages, it seemed like something out of a book. However, some of them didn't quite understand the concept of being a trainer._

 _"_ _So, the Pokémon are like slaves?" Lisanna asked with a frown on her face. "They are captured, and then they are forced to fight one another. It doesn't seem like they are treated very kindly." she responded. To her, the Pokémon are like animals with special powers, so it made her upset when she heard what they went through._

 _Again, the master shook his head. "No. There are some that simply use them for their power, but there are also those who form strong bonds and friendships with them; those who treat them like friends and family. The bond between trainer and Pokémon is supposed to bring out the true power in a Pokémon. However, if you want to learn more, then you will have to ask a trainer, for yourself."_

 _"_ _How do we find one of these trainers?" Levy asked, really wanting to meet one of these people._

 _"_ _Well, you won't have to look hard." he responded. "One of them is travelling from the Kalos Region, where Diantha is from, to Fiore. The two of them have a history with each other, and she requested for him to come to Fiore, so that he can help prove that it is possible for us to coexist with these creatures, since the Magic Council isn't quite convinced." He explained. He then turned to Levy. "You will be the one to escort him to Crocus."_

 _For a moment, she just blinked at the master, before she fully processed what he had just said. Her eyes then widened with shock._

 _"_ _M-Master?! Are you sure?" she asked. "Wouldn't it be better if one of the stronger members took this job?"_

 _He shrugged his shoulders. "Most of the other members are away from the guild, and even if they weren't, they would just cause destruction. I trust you to do this, without causing chaos." he explained, which made sense to her. "Besides, he won't be completely helpless. He will have the aid of his Pokémon partners, so if something goes wrong, they should be safe. You are mainly going as a guide, so that they make it to their destination quickly, and to ensure that nothing would threaten the peace that is to be made between Fiore and the people of Earth."_

 _She understood everything, up until that last part. Threaten the peace?_

 _"_ _Master, what do you mean? What would threaten the peace?" she asked._

 _The master's face turned serious, scaring the members of Fairy Tail. "Think about it. If something were to happen that made the people of Earth lose their trust in us, or vice versa, then there could be a full-blown war at hand, between mages and Pokémon." he explained._

 _Just the thought was enough to make the mages terrified. Some of the Pokémon have been giving their S-class mages trouble. If they are strong enough to take on mages like Erza and Laxus, then what would happen if even more attacked? It could mean the destruction of Fiore, as well as Earth._

 _Seeing that they all understood, the master spoke once more. "As you can see, this is a delicate situation, which is why everything must go smoothly on this job." he said, turning towards Levy. "I trust that you will not fail. You may not be the strongest, but your intelligence makes you the perfect person for the job."_

 _Levy was nervous to accept, but what choice did she have? The master was entrusting her with something as important as this. This meant that he had absolute confidence that she would succeed. How could she deny a request, in which the Master his putting all his faith into her?_

 _With a newfound confidence burning in her eyes, she nodded her head in acceptance. "Alright. I'll do it."_

 _Master Makarov smiled, proud that his child was going to give it her all. "Very well. Friday, you are going to head to Hargeon Port. That is where the boy Diantha sent will be headed."_

 _Levy nodded in understanding. "Alright. I will prepare for the job immediately, Master." she said with a small grin on her face._

 _Master Makarov nodded his head. "Very well. I wish you the best of luck."_

* * *

Levy remembers that day very well. She is still nervous about it, but she can't let the Master, or the members of Fairy Tail down. Besides, she is looking forward to learning more about the Pokémon, and what exactly a Pokémon Trainer does.

The more she thinks about it, the more she wonders what type of person the Pokémon Trainer is going to be. Is he going to be someone like Gajeel, who is always angry at something, and is always teasing her? Or is he going to be someone like Natsu, who acts before he thinks, and is always picking fights? She is hoping for neither, but she can't be sure. However, that is the least of her worries, because after walking through Hargeon for nearly an hour, she realized something.

"I don't even know when I am supposed to meet him." she said to herself, with wide eyes.

She knew that she was supposed to meet him on the beach, but she had no idea when he was going to get there. For all she knew, he could've gotten there, already, and he might've been waiting on her for a while. That thought didn't make her very happy, so she began to run, hoping that she wasn't late.

Her short legs carried her as fast as they could, but she was panting heavily the whole way to the beach, gaining strange looks from the people around her. Although she didn't notice them. Times like this make her wish that she had more endurance. Maybe then she would be able to keep up with the other members of Fairy Tail, and maybe she wouldn't be so tired, right now.

Five minutes later, she arrived at the beach, which was noticeably empty. Very few people were there, and those who were had either just gotten off a ship, or they were about to board one.

She stopped running and placed her hands on her knees, as she tried to catch her breath. Thankfully, she had gotten here before he did, unless he left to wander the town, but she was hoping that he wouldn't do that, since he knew they were supposed to meet on the beach.

Seeing as though she may be there for a while, she sat down on the warm sand and leaned her back against a small boulder stuck in the sand. She took a deep breath and looked up at the beautiful, blue sky. It is currently four in the afternoon, so the sun is still up, and unlike the previous days, there are very few clouds in the sky. It isn't too hot, and it isn't too chilly.

Levy decided that she may as well sit down, considering that she may be there for a while. There was a small boulder sticking out of the sand, and she sat with her back against it. It was hard, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

 _"_ _At least the weather is nice."_ she thought to herself with a small smile on her face, as she looked out at the blue ocean. She can see flocks of Wingull flying overhead, and schools of Magikarp swimming in the ocean. It is strange to her, but for some reason, she feels relaxed. These creatures are so new to her. In fact, this is the first time she has ever seen a Pokémon with her own eyes. Everything that she knows about them, is because someone from the guild told her about them, after coming back from a job.

Now that she sees them with her own eyes, they don't seem all that bad. The ones in front of her seem peaceful, just going about their own business. Sure, there are some that have been causing problems, but that is bound to happen. The Pokémon are probably just as confused as the rest of them. Retaliating like they were may only be making the situation worse. However, how would they stop the attacks, if they didn't fight back? She isn't sure, but she plans on asking the Pokémon Trainer about that, once he arrives. Maybe they could come up with some sort of solution, together.

Levy was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't even hear the rotating blades coming closer to the beach. The noise startled the Pokémon in the sky and in the water, as well as caught the attention of the people on the beach. They all looked up, and they saw a helicopter preparing to land on the middle of the beach.

People moved out of the way, so that they wouldn't get caught by the blades. The helicopter made its descent, and it started to stir up the sand underneath it, causing it to fly into people's faces.

No one was sure what exactly it was, because they had never seen a helicopter before. Since only a handful of people know about Pokémon, and the fact they are in another world, they all thought that it was just a new kind of magic mobile.

Levy continued to sit against the rock, until sand started to get into her eyes. She rubbed the sand out of her eyes, before looking up to see what was going on. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the helicopter.

"That must be him." she said to herself.

She ran up to where a crowd of people were gathered, and she watched the helicopter descend, until it was about twenty feet above the ground. She saw a door slide open on the side of the helicopter, and she noticed that someone was standing in the doorway. A rope was thrown off the side, allowing the boy in the doorframe to slide down, and land safely on his feet.

As soon as Lowell landed on the beach, he backed up from the rope, and he gave the pilot a salute. The pilot nodded in understanding, before pulling the rope back up, closing the door, and flying away from the beach.

Suddenly, a blue light shot out of Lowell's pocket, and Greninja appeared at his side, shocking the people watching them. They were not expecting the blue frog to appear out of nowhere like he did.

Lowell looked over to his partner with a raised brow. "I know that you are afraid of flying, but we were in an enclosed space. You weren't going to fall, and even if you did, for whatever reason, we were above water. You didn't have to ride in your poke ball, the whole time." he said, ignoring the looks he was getting from those around him.

Greninja responded with a shrug of his shoulders as Greninja went to croak his name. However, instead, he ended up speaking. "Well you can blame Charizard for th- "He stopped speaking, as soon as he realized what was happening. His eyes widened in shock, and so did his trainer's.

They were both silent for a moment. "…Well, this is an…interesting development." Lowell commented, to which Greninja nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, well, according to the professor this place is surrounded by something called Ethernano, which is essentially magic power. Perhaps that has something to do with it." Lowell's froggy partner suggested.

Lowell placed his hand under his chin and thought and nodded his head in agreement. That would be the most logical explanation, though magic existing at all seems to go against all logic he has known up until now. Although now that he thinks about it, how much sense do Pokémon make? Their powers are still a mystery, so he really has no room to question magic, considering that at least the mages know how they have their power.

He sighed and shook his head to clear his thoughts. He is thinking way too much into this. He quickly took in his surroundings, finally realizing just how many people were watching them. Apparently, people farther into the town heard the helicopter coming closer to Hargeon, so they came to investigate. He isn't very surprised. If he were in their shoes, then he might be doing the same thing. However, since he isn't in their shoes, and he and Greninja are the ones they are staring at, it is a little annoying. However, he took note of one person, who is staring intently at him.

As soon as Levy saw him turn around, she couldn't help but stare at him. Although it wasn't because of his looks. Sure, she thinks he has a well-toned body, and that there are a lot of people that probably fawn over his looks, but that isn't what interested her. Instead, she was staring into his eyes. For some reason, when she looked into his eyes, she saw a wide range of different emotions: shock, confusion, irritation, curiosity, and she also saw a bit of sadness in his eyes. That confused, as well as intrigued her. Why would he be sad? Did something happen? Suddenly, after looking into his eyes for not even a couple of seconds, she wanted to get to know him better.

However, then she realized what she was doing. What made it even worse, was that he caught her staring, and they were looking each other directly in the eyes.

For a moment, they were both quiet, until Levy began to blush up a storm, and started stuttering.

"I-I am s-sorry for s-staring at you!" she said embarrassedly looking to the side, just to avoid his gaze.

Lowell looked at her, before scratching the top of his head in confusion. He knows that she was staring at him, but it wasn't that big of a deal. It wouldn't be the first time a girl had stared at him. He felt kind of bad for her, because he wasn't trying to make her have a panic attack.

He and Greninja walked closer to her, but not getting too close, because they didn't want to freak her out any more than they already have. "It's not that big of a deal." he said with a small grin on his face. "Besides, it isn't like you were the only one staring at us. Just look around." he said with a gesture of his arm.

She let out a sigh and looked up at him. However, when she did, she noticed his fang-like canines, and this only made her blush even more.

"Are you alright?" Lowell asked, startling her a bit. "You look like you have some sort of fever." He knows why she is blushing, but he felt it better not to say it, otherwise it may only make the situation worse.

Levy just blinked a couple of moments, before shaking her head, trying to get her blush to go away. "Y-yeah. I'm fine." she responded. She looked up at him again, this time suppressing her blush. "My name is Levy McGarden." she introduced.

"My name is Lowell Falkov." he said, before pointing at his froggy partner. "This is my partner, Greninja."

Greninja greeted her with a wave. "Yo."

Lowell looked over to Greninja. "It is still strange to hear you speak English. I have gotten so used to hearing you just say your name, that it is a little odd to actually understand what you are saying."

Greninja nodded in agreement. "At least we have an easier way of communicating, now." he responded.

However, Levy just seems lost. "Wait." she said, getting the attention of the trainer and his Pokémon. "You're a Pokémon, right? So, does that mean that Pokémon are unable to communicate with humans?" she asked.

At first, they seemed shocked that she knew about the Pokémon, however, they both came to a quick conclusion. "You're from that wizard guild we were told about. Um…Fairy Tail, I believe."

Levy nodded with an excited smile on her face. She then turned around, and she showed him the white symbol on her left shoulder blade. "That's right! I was assigned to be your escort to Crocus." she said as she turned back around.

 _"_ _That took less time than expected."_ Lowell and Greninja both thought at the same time.

"Anyways, to answer your questions, yes, Greninja is a Pokémon, and no, they normally can't communicate with humans, unless they use some sort of psychic power." Lowell explained.

Greninja nodded his head and continued with the explanation. "We believe that it has something to do with the magic surrounding the Kingdom of Fiore. However, we aren't quite sure."

Levy absorbed all that information in with a thoughtful look on her face. "Maybe. Since Fiore is now in your world, I guess that means Ethernano came along with it. Maybe, at least while in Fiore, people and Pokémon from your world may be able to access magic, like us."

Lowell looked at Levy in slight shock. At first glance, she didn't look like much. When he learned that Fairy Tail was the strongest guild in Fiore, he was expecting someone who looked more like a fighter. Although he is pleasantly surprised that she at least uses her brain, instead of solving everything with violence.

Lowell was about to respond, but they were interrupted by some of the people around them.

"Wait. Did that girl just say something about another world?" someone asked.

Another person nodded their head in agreement. "Yeah, and look. Next to that boy is one of those strange creatures."

They heard the chatter around them, and they realized that it wasn't the smartest idea for them to be talking about these things in the open.

"Maybe we should continue our conversation somewhere…more private." Greninja suggested.

Levy agreed, and she grabbed hold of Lowell's hand, causing him to blush slightly, though nowhere near as bad as her blush. He is usually calm, but he isn't used to making physical contact with other people. He tried to say something, but she started to run away from the beach, dragging him behind her. Seeing as though they were going to leave without him, Greninja had no choice but to follow.

Lowell stumbled forward, until he managed to start running on his own. "Where are we going?" he asked her.

She turned back to face him and gave him a small smile. "It is a little late, and I am sure that you are hungry. We can talk more about this, in a restaurant." she explained without stopping, although she did slow down a bit, because she didn't want to tire herself out, again.

Lowell thought about it for a moment, deciding that it wasn't a bad plan. He is kind of hungry, and they would be able to talk, away from a big crowd of people.

He nodded his head in agreement. "Alright. Sounds like a plan." he responded. He then looked to his partner. "What do you think?"

Greninja shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't matter, to me. As long as you've got some Oran Berries." he responded.

This statement made Lowell chuckle. He should've know he was going to say that. He removed a small backpack from his shoulders, and he held it out to the side. Greninja quickly scooped it up, and he would've eaten every berry inside, if it wasn't for Lowell stopping him.

"Wait until we get to the restaurant." he said. "Also, we have no idea how long we will be in Fiore, so you may not want to eat all of them, now. Otherwise, you only have yourself to blame for running out of berries to fuel your addiction." he said with a smirk on his face.

This made Greninja's eye twitch. "It is not an addiction!" he yelled angrily. Not many things manage to make Greninja angry. However, one of those things is when someone calls his love for Oran Berries an addiction. "If I remember correctly, you have a fondness towards Pineapple. I guess that can be called an addiction, as well."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say. I honestly don't care. It is healthy, and it is both sweet and sour at the same time. That is what I call the best of both worlds." he reasoned.

For some reason, Levy couldn't help but laugh at the argument between the trainer and ninja Pokémon. In a way, it reminds her of Natsu and Gray, but without fighting. She can tell just by watching them that they have been through a lot together. As they were talking, they completely forgot that she was even there.

When they heard her laughing, they turned to face Levy. As she had said, they had almost forgotten that they weren't alone. When they travel, they normally don't have someone accompanying them. There are Lowell's other Pokémon, but most of them prefer to travel in their poke balls, so that they are well-rested when it is time to battle or train.

"Oh. Sorry about that." Lowell said, once he realized what they were doing. Sometimes they get too engrossed in their "discussions," that they lose track of time, and they stop paying attention to their surroundings.

Levy just shrugged her shoulders with a content smile. "It's fine. Honestly, I think it is nice that you two get along so well. It seems that you have a lot of history, with each other."

The trainer and his partner exchanged a look with each other, and grins graced both of their faces. They remembered all the battles they have won together, and all the things they have seen and accomplished, together. There were some instances when they feared they might not succeed, but never once did they ever give up. Why would they? They are never alone. They have the rest of their team, their family, to help them.

"You can say that again." Greninja replied, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement.

As they kept walking, Lowell suddenly noticed a strange warmth around his hand. He looked down, and he blushed at the sight of him and Levy's hands joined together. For a moment, he stopped walking.

Levy stopped as well, wondering why he stopped walking. However, she noticed what he was staring at, and she blushed as well, before letting go of his hand.

"S-sorry about th-that!" she exclaimed in embarrassment. "I-I forgot to let go, after we stopped running."

Lowell turned away to hide his blush. Although he wasn't just embarrassed because they were holding hands. He was embarrassed, because he didn't mind the warmth that he felt when they were holding hands. Although the thought that people may have been watching them, and possibly thought that they were a couple, only made him blush even more.

 _"_ _This is such a pain."_ Lowell thought. It hasn't even been a day since he arrived in Fiore, and things are already turning out to be way much work than he expected. _"I literally just met this girl! I couldn't possibly be developing feelings for her, just like that!"_

"I-I's fine." he responded with a stutter. "How about we just find the restaurant you were talking about?" he suggested.

Levy happily nodded her head in agreement, if it meant that she could temporarily escape her embarrassment.

* * *

Minutes later, they finally arrived at a small diner that can be found rather close to the beach. It is called "High Tides." When he first saw the name, Lowell wasn't very excited. He already knew that it was going to be a seafood place, but that was to be expected, since they are in a port town. It also didn't help that a lot of people were staring at the three of them, mainly because of Greninja.

They looked at the menu, and Levy and Lowell both agreed that nothing looked very appetizing. In the end, they both chose to get a small salad with a dressing that reminded Lowell of ranch dressing, but was slightly tangier. Overall, it was good, but he definitely wouldn't want to come back.

Although he felt slightly bad when Levy had to pay for both meals. He has money, but the currency is different in Fiore than it is on Earth. Instead of using coins, they use Jewels. Levy assured him that she didn't mind paying, but that didn't make him feel any better. When he isn't training or doing some sort of job, he is usually laid back, and a lot of people would consider him to be lazy. However, that doesn't mean that he slacks off and makes other people pay for him.

"I will pay you back, once I can earn some Jewel." he said, trying to convince Levy to let him pay her back.

She let out a tired sigh. This is the fifth time he has said that, since they entered the diner.

"For the last time, I am not asking you to pay me back. The salads were rather inexpensive, so it isn't like I spent a fortune, on them." she replied, hoping that he would finally just give up.

On the side of Lowell is Greninja, who is currently enjoying his Oran Berries while watching the two hard-headed humans argue back and forth. The others weren't able to see it, but a small smirk appeared on the ninja Pokémon's face.

 _"_ _Young love."_ he thought to himself.

Finally, after some time passed, Lowell agreed to forget about paying her back. He doesn't like it, but she is just as stubborn, maybe even more stubborn than he is. Although it didn't help that she started looking at him with the puppy dog eyes. She looked so cute to him that he could hardly control his blush, so he quickly looked away and just let Levy win. It wasn't anything worth passing out over.

Levy has a wide grin on her face, happy with her little victory, even if there was no real point to it. "So, how many species of Pokémon are there?" Levy asked, getting back to their previous conversation.

While they were eating, Levy asked Lowell to tell her some more about his world, more specifically about the Pokémon. He saw how curious and excited she was about the topic, so he figured that it wouldn't hurt, since she was going to find out, sooner or later. He explained to her what Gym Battles were, Pokémon Contests and Performances, as well as going into a little more detail about how Pokémon evolve and some of the different abilities and moves they had.

Lowell scratched his chin in thought for a moment, as he pondered her question. He isn't quite sure the exact number, but he has a general idea. "I'd say at least seven hundred, and those are the ones that have been discovered. I am sure that more are bound to be discovered, in the future."

Levy looked at him with shock, as well as wonder painted on her face. The sight made him chuckle a bit. The entire time he explained Pokémon to her, minus when they were arguing about paying for dinner, she had a big smile on her face. Perhaps she was just that interested, or maybe she really liked learning new things. After all, the concept of Pokémon is completely new to her.

"Pokémon are so amazing!" Levy exclaimed, gaining a couple odd looks from the patrons around her. She covered her mouth with her hand, before looking down at the table, once again, making Lowell chuckle. This is an odd sight, for Greninja. Though, that doesn't mean he isn't happy about it.

Normally, the only people Lowell is this comfortable around are his mother, his older sister, and a friend of his from the Hoenn Region. Of course, he is also comfortable around his team. Yet, somehow, he can talk and laugh with this girl, when he has only known her for around an hour.

"I must agree with that statement." Lowell replied. "Not only do they make life a lot more interesting, but they also make it more meaningful. The bonds that we share with Pokémon of all shapes and sizes are what have molded modern society. You don't have to be a trainer, coordinator, or performer to befriend a Pokémon. It is possible for anyone to make a lasting connection with a Pokémon."

That got Levy thinking. She wanted to make a bond, like what Lowell has done with Greninja. Even though they are so different, and even though they argue sometimes, they are the best of friends. She wondered if she would ever be able to share a similar bond with a Pokémon of her own.

She was about to ask him this, but an angry, loud roar echoed throughout the town, shattering most of the windows. The terrified screams came from outside, and Lowell and Levy rushed out the diner to see what was going on. Almost immediately, they saw a wall of water crashing onto the beach.

Levy watched the beach with wide eyes. "What was that?!" she asked.

Lowell and Greninja just stared at the beach for several moments, before they realized what was going on. Without saying a word, both took off running towards the beach, leaving behind a very confused Levy. Seeing that they were leaving without her, she began to run after them as fast as she could.

"H-hey! Wait up!" she yelled after them.

Lowell and Greninja arrived at the beach moments before Levy, and they both stood still as they watched the serpent-like creature in the water.

"I assumed this much when I heard the roar." Lowell stated, as Levy strolled up behind him. She is panting heavily, trying to regain her breath. This is the second time today she has exhausted herself, simply by running.

"W-what is…going on?" she asked between breaths. However, when she looked up and saw the creature in the water, her eyes dilated in fear. "W-what is that?!"

"It's a Gyarados." the trainer and Pokémon said at the same time.

Levy just blinked at them. "A-a what?" she asked, still a bit confused.

Lowell sighed and took out a red device from his pocket. It is a Pokedex. He pressed a button, before moving it in front of Levy's face.

 _"_ _Gyrados: The Atrocious Pokémon. Once Gyarados goes on a rampage, its ferociously violent blood doesn't calm until it has burned everything down. There are records of this Pokémon's rampages lasting a whole month."_ the Pokedex stated.

"A-a month?!" Levy asked, frightened.

Lowell nodded. "Yeah. Gyarados are normally very violent, and tend to have a short temper. It is a little ironic, considering that they evolve from the usually weak Magikarp." he said will a small frown on his face.

"I don't think this is the time for jokes." Levy responded in a panic as she looked at the angry Pokémon in front of her. She only began to panic more when the water/flying-type glared the three of them down, sending a cold shiver down her spine. However, Lowell and Greninja didn't seem very phased by this. Instead, the two of them began to walk closer towards the Gyrados.

"W-what are you doing?!" Levy asked, thinking that he was just going to get himself and Greninja hurt. She didn't think it was possible for a frog to defeat such a large serpent.

After walking forward, a couple of feet, Lowell spoke. "You said you were a mage, right?" Lowell said with a serious tone, which shocked Levy. He hadn't acted this serious, since they met. Although she does understand that this isn't a laughing matter.

"Y-yeah." she said shakily.

"And aren't you a member of the strongest guild in Fiore?" Greninja asked.

Levy looked down in shame. "Yes, but I'm not- "

"It doesn't matter if you aren't as strong as others." Lowell stated, making her look up at him in shock. This time, he is facing her with a determined expression on his face. "Look at me. I don't have any sort of special power, like you. However, that doesn't mean that I will just run away in fear, even though I know that I can do more to help. Just because you aren't a great fighter, that doesn't mean you still can't help." he continued, making her gasp.

A small smile formed on his lips. "I could tell you were smart, when we first started talking. You and I are alike, in those regards. We may not be great fighters, but we make up for where we lack, by finding ways to keep pushing forward, no matter how hard a situation may get."

While Lowell was talking, Gyrados got tired of waiting, so it took a deep breath and fired off a stream of highly pressurized water towards them. Levy thought that it was going to hit Lowell directly in the back and tried to warn him, but instead, the stream of water was split apart by a purple needle, courtesy of Greninja's **Night Slash**. The water hit the beach on both sides of them, but they remained unharmed.

Greninja landed back on the beach next to his trainer, allowing the purple needles in his hands disappear. "What you lack, you find in your comrades. Do not rely solely on yourself. Learn to trust in those around you, and learn to do what you can, so that you can aid them, even if you don't join in on the fight." he said.

That is when it hit her. She was wondering why she wasn't afraid, but she just realized it. In a way, it isn't much different than how things work at Fairy Tail. You don't have to do everything by yourself. You have friends and family that you can depend on, to give you strength.

She walked forward to stand on the other side of Lowell, a small, but confident smile making its way onto her lips. "You're right. I am a member of Fairy Tail. I was giving up way too quickly." she said, looking directly into his eyes. "We've dealt with things much scarier than this."

Lowell smiled and chuckled a bit. "Well, at least I know that you aren't letting Gyrados' Intimidate ability scare you off." he replied.

She seemed confused, until she remembered the conversation she had with Lowell earlier. Pokémon have special abilities, which are different than their moves. Intimidate is an ability that scares the opponent, and lowers their attack stat.

Her eyes widened in realization. "So, you mean that…"

Lowell nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. As soon as you saw it, its ability activated. I'm not surprised at how you acted, but I am glad that you were able to break through it."

Levy was about to respond, but Gyrados let out another roar, informing them that they have been talking for far too long.

"Alright. So, what is the plan?" Levy asked.

"Gyrados is a Water/Flying-type, which mean that electric-based attacks will do four-times the damage." Lowell explained as he took out a poke ball. "He isn't the best match-up against Gyrados, but I think that he will do just fine, nonetheless."

Greninja crossed his arms. "I guess you won't be needing me, for this battle."

Lowell shook his head. "No. I need you to keep it distracted, while our friend deals the damage. Just make sure not to get too close, if you don't want to get zapped." he said with a playful smirk on his face.

Greninja scoffed. "As if I would let that happen." he said before jumping off towards Gyrados.

Levy looked at the poke ball in Lowell's hand, curious as to what he was planning. "Do you have a Pokémon that uses electricity?" she asked, to which he nodded his head.

"I think it's about time that you met Stunfisk!" Lowell exclaimed as he threw the poke ball into the air. Stunfisk appeared on the ground in front of Lowell, in a bright-blue flash.

Levy wasn't sure what to expect, but she wasn't expecting the trap Pokémon. It has a flat, fish-like body, and it is mud-brown, with a yellow tail and a yellow exclamation point on his back.

"You called?" Stunfisk asked with a deep voice, as he looked towards his trainer for orders.

Lowell nodded. "You see the Gyrados in front of us?" he asked pointing towards the water.

Stunfisk watched as Greninja ran along Gyrados' body, making it unable to hit him with any of its attacks. It is currently trying to knock him off, but any time that Greninja is close to falling, he attacks Gyrados with a **Night Slash** , and then jumps on top of its head.

A small chuckle escaped Stunfisk's mouth. "My specialty." he responded.

Lowell smiled and yelled to Greninja. "It's time! Greninja, jump off Gyrados, and then use **Smoke Screen**!" he ordered.

Greninja jumped off Gyrados' head, and Gyrados attempted to use **Bite** on him. However, it was too late, because a cloud of smoke blocked his vision, causing him to miss.

As Greninja landed back on the ground, Stunfisk leaped into the air, getting ready to attack. Lowell turned to face Levy. "Can you use any electric-based magic?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded her head. "You can count on me!" she declared.

He nodded in understanding. "Alright, then. When I give Stunfisk the order to attack, cast the spell at Gyrados at the same time. I am hoping that we can end this with one powerful attack."

She nodded in understanding and prepared to attack.

It didn't take long for Gyrados to disperse the smokescreen. When it did, it seemed madder than ever, and its sights are set on the Pokémon that just leaped towards it. It let out another powerful roar, before creating a sphere of pressurized energy in its mouth. The sheer power behind the sphere is making Levy's eyes go wide with shock.

"T-the pressure is so strong." she muttered to herself.

"Stunfisk, now! We can't let it fire off that Hyper Beam." he ordered.

"You got it!" the trap Pokémon said as his body crackled with electricity.

This was Levy's cue. She snapped out of her initial shock, ready to lend a hand. She used her fingers to write something in the air with magic, and at the same time, Levy and Stunfisk released their attacks.

"Th **underbolt!** "

" **Solid Script: Lightning!** "

The two lightning attacks raced towards Gyrados, just as it released the massive beam attack. Yellow and red clashed as the three attacks fought to gain more ground. For a moment, it appears Gyrados' Hyper Beam was going to break through, but then Stunfisk increased the power a bit, causing the tides to turn in their favor.

"Like I would let myself lose to an overgrown garden snake!" Stunfisk yelled.

Soon enough, the lightning overpowered Gyrados' Hyper Beam, and it was struck by thousands of volts of electricity, causing its scales to sizzle a bit, before it fell back into the water, creating a large wave that swept onto the beach.

Greninja hopped further back onto the beach, to avoid the tidal wave. Stunfisk landed right next to him, but he was still crackling with electricity, so he made sure not to zap Greninja by accident.

Lowell wrapped his arm around Levy as he tried to get both away from the tidal wave. However, his legs weren't fast enough, and the tidal wave was right on top of them. Fortunately, Greninja managed to wrap his tongue around their waists, and he pulled them both to safety.

They landed in the sand, panting for breath.

"Are you alright, Levy?" Lowell asked, sitting up.

She nodded her head as she sat up and began to brush some sand off her clothes. She then turned back to the shoreline. "Is it over?" she asked.

With a grunt, Lowell stood up and walked towards where Gyarados was laying. It appears to be conscious, but the rage in its eyes have dulled a bit, and it doesn't appear to be in the mood to fight, anymore. Lowell kneeled next to the water-type, and he pulled a potion from his pocket.

"Lowell, what are you doing?" Levy asked.

He sprayed the potion onto Gyarados' wounds, and it let out a small roar of pain.

"Just calm down. We only attacked, because you were going to cause damage to the beach, and possibly injure some of the people in this town." Lowell explained.

"These people are the reason my home is gone." the slightly agitated Pokémon stated.

Lowell sighed as he finished healing the Pokémon's injuries. "You can't blame them, for that. Honestly, they are just as scared and confused as you are, right now. However, retaliating like you did will only cause more problems. I plan to get to the bottom of what happened, as soon as I can. Although I would appreciate it if you don't go around and attacking towns, anymore."

Gyarados looked at the young trainer, and it saw the genuineness in his eyes. Even though they were just fighting, it feels as though it can trust him. Once it was feeling well enough to move, he let his body rise out of the water, and he looked down at the trainer.

"Alright. I will try to keep my temper down, for now." Gyarados stated before going diving back into the ocean, splashing Lowell with the salty sea water.

Lowell and his friends watched the Pokémon swim back into the ocean, as the sun began to set. For some reason, it put a smile on Lowell's face. Even though he is no longer in Kalos, things haven't changed that much.

He turned to Levy, thinking about what she did just now. "That was the first time I have ever witnessed magic before. I'm impressed." he said. The Pokémon agreed. Although they have their own powers, it is shocking to see a human possess such abilities.

This put a smile on her face, as well. "Thanks. It is called Solid Script Magic. I can write out words using my magic, giving them a physical form, but they still retain the same properties of the actual substance. It is a form of Letter Magic." she explained.

 _"_ _Letter Magic?"_ he thought. That could be useful. "Maybe if I can use magic, you could teach me, someday." he suggested.

Her eyes widened in shock. "R-really?" she asked. She wasn't expecting that.

He smiled and nodded his head. "Sure. Why not? Even after my job here is done, I think that I am going to stay in Fiore, for a while." he decided. He turned to look at his partners. "What do you say about that?" he asked.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders, and Stunfisk would've shrugged his, if he had shoulders. Instead, he just hummed in agreement.

For some reason, this made Levy happy. She might get to spend more time with him, and get to know more about Pokémon, as well. Maybe she can convince him to join Fairy Tail, once the job is over.

"Alright then, but only if you teach me how to catch a Pokémon." she responded happily.

Lowell let out a tired sigh. He had a feeling she would ask that. Not that he minded, much.

"That sounds like too much work." he stated blandly. However, this made the girl pout, and she began to give him the puppy dog eyes. He tried to keep a straight face as he looked at her, but he couldn't help but sigh and turn away. _"Why does she have to be so cute?"_ he thought.

"I was just joking. I really don't mind helping you learn to catch a Pokémon, as long as you promise to treat them right." he responded.

Suddenly, he was grabbed by the wrist, and he found himself being dragged, again. Levy was pulling him back into the town.

"W-why are you doing this, again?!" he asked as they ran.

She giggled at his reaction. "The faster we get to Crocus, the faster I can start teaching you magic, and the sooner you can help me catch a Pokémon of my own." she explained, without stopping.

"Can we at least let Greninja and Stunfisk catch up?" he asked, trying to match the shorter girl's pace.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." she responded, not giving him much of a choice.

* * *

Back on the beach, Greninja and Stunfisk watched the two humans run off, leaving them behind.

"Is this going to become a running theme with them?" Greninja asked his fish-like friend.

"Most likely." Stunfisk responded.

Greninja sighed. "This is going to be a long job."

* * *

 **AN: Hey everybody! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I managed to get 10K done, like I was hoping for. I'll be honest, it began to get a lot harder, once I reached the fight scene. I am still trying to improve on writing fight scenes, so I hope that it was at least tolerable.**

 **I am not sure when I will update, again. I would like to have another update sometime next week, but there is a hurricane heading towards Louisiana, so there is a good chance that I will be losing internet, and will be unable to update. Also, I may not have internet, for a couple of weeks, depending on if our internet company messes up our cable, or not. If so, I may try to update while I am at College, but I will also be a lot busier, so it all depends on when I have time.**

 **Then again, none of this may happen, but I just wanted you to know, in case I am unable to update for a while. Hopefully that isn't the case, though.**

 **Well, I guess that you have all had enough of my rambling. If you liked this chapter, please leave a review, because any feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **With all that said, I hope that you all have an amazing day!**


	3. Chapter 3

After the event that transpired on the beach, Lowell and Levy got on a train that would take them to Fiore's capital, Crocus. Stunfisk has long since returned to his poke ball, but Greninja is sitting beside his trainer, across from the blue-haired mage. They have been on the train for a little over a day, and they should be arriving, within a couple hours.

To pass the time, Levy told Lowell about the Grand Magic Games that took place in Crocus, not even a month ago. The idea of a tournament between mages sounded very interesting to him, and he would've liked to witness it, himself. Levy reminisced several of the fights, including the fight between Fairy Tail's Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox, as well as Sting and Rogue from a guild called Sabertooth.

The concept of Dragon Slayers boggled his mind. Only they had the power to slay dragons? He wondered if, since his Dragonite is a dragon-type Pokémon, maybe she would be affected by Dragon Slayer Magic, or maybe she would be able to defeat a dragon, since dragon-type attacks are strong against dragon-type Pokémon. _"Would the concept work with actual dragons, though?"_ he thought.

However, he was incredibly shocked, when she told him about how dragons came from the past and started to destroy the city. Thankfully they were stopped due to the Dragon Slayers, especially Natsu. If he wouldn't be around Pokémon all the time, he would probably panic at the thought of seeing a real, breathing dragon.

Although hearing about the dragons also made him worry a bit about Levy. Was she hurt? Did she almost die? He wasn't sure why he was thinking these things. She is here now, and she is alright, so obviously nothing bad happened. Although he can't help but feel sad upon thinking if Levy were to get hurt or-

He shook his head slightly, ridding it of his previous thoughts. _"What am I doing?"_ he thought. Ever since he has met Levy, he has found himself blushing more and more, and he has found himself staring at her, quite often. Although he catches her staring at him sometimes, as well, which only makes it even more awkward. Does he really have feelings for her, or does he just enjoy her company?

Levy noticed Lowell shake his head, and she tilted her head in confusion. "Are you alright?" she asked, oblivious as to why he was shaking his head.

For a moment, he was a little embarrassed that she noticed, but he just shrugged it off. Overreacting would only make the situation that much more embarrassing. The best thing for him to do is to act calm about it.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about everything you told me, about the dragons." he explained, hoping that she would accept that answer.

She just looked at him for a moment before nodding her head in understanding. She isn't surprised. After all, it was a lot to take in.

"I think it would be interesting to see Dragonite go up against a real dragon, or against one of the Dragon Slayers." Greninja commented, having a similar thought as Lowell.

Levy raised her brow at them. "Dragonite?" she asked.

"She is another one of my Pokémon." Lowell responded, looking at her. "Actually, she is a Dragon-type, which is why it would be an interesting match-up. Normally, a Dragon-type attack is super effective against Dragon-types, which is why I wonder if they would work on an actual dragon, or if Dragon Slayer Magic would be super effective against Dragon-type Pokémon."

Levy leaned back in her seat and thought about it for a moment. It would make sense, but they wouldn't know, unless they tested their theory. However, they wouldn't be able to test if it worked on a dragon, because the only dragon they know is still alive is Agnalogia, and none of them wanted to see him again, any time soon.

"Maybe she can battle against one of the Dragon Slayers in our guild, after your job is done." Levy suggested, a little curious herself. "I think that either Natsu or Gajeel would be more than willing to fight, especially if Dragonite is technically a dragon." she explained.

The trainer and Pokémon both nodded their heads in understanding. If they stuck around long enough, then that would definitely be an interesting battle to watch.

They continued to talk for a couple minutes, until a question popped into Levy's head.

"Would you mind telling me more about the Pokémon League?" she asked, catching their attention. "You mentioned the gyms, and something about an Elite Four. Although I don't really understand the point behind them."

Lowell sighed. He forgot to go into more detail, when they were originally discussing it. Although he doesn't really mind explaining it now, since she went through the trouble of telling him about the Grand Magic Games.

He looked up at the ceiling of the train, as he thought of how to explain it. "Well, the best comparison that I really have are the Ten Wizard Saints that you told me about." he commented. "Once you beat the eight gym leaders of a region, you are then able to take on the Elite Four, without taking a break in between each battle. The Elite Four are four of the strongest trainers in the entire region, only underneath the champion themselves. For Kalos, that champion is Diantha." he explained.

Levy nodded her head. "Yeah. I remember Master Makarov mentioning her. She was apparently the one requested that you come to Fiore." she said, to which Lowell nodded his head, looking back at her.

"Yeah. Diantha and I met in the past." he said as he closed his eyes, remembering his battle with the famous champion.

Greninja mimicked his trainer. Neither of them will ever forget that battle, because it was the biggest challenge that they ever faced.

This made her curious. She isn't surprised that they know each other, considering that the woman had asked specifically for him to come to Fiore. Although she is interested in knowing how they met.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did yo- "

"How did I meet the champion?" he interrupted.

Levy nodded her head. It is none of her business, really, but he caught her attention.

Lowell sighed and sat back in his seat. Somehow, he always gets asked this question. He doesn't mind answering, but it gets a little annoying to repeat, after so many times.

"I first met her in Lumiose City, which is the biggest city in the Kalos Region. We met in a café, not too far away from the professor's lab. Although I ran into her, several times after. The time that sticks with us the most, however, is when we challenged her to a Pokémon Battle." he explained.

Levy's eyes went wide with shock. She knew that his team was powerful, but powerful enough to take on the strongest trainer in Kalos? To her, that sounds a little crazy.

"You seriously challenged her?" she asked, still not believing them.

Greninja nodded his head in affirmation. "Of course. Though, we didn't actually win." he said, sounding slightly depressed.

That made Levy sad, even though it wasn't that hard to guess. She doubted that it was an easy task to defeat someone who was considered to be the strongest. To her, it sounded like someone like Lucy challenging someone like Erza. Both are strong mages, but Erza is clearly out of Lucy's league.

"Although, we didn't lose, either. The battle was called as a tie." Lowell continued.

"A tie?" she asked.

Lowell looked out the window and recalled his battle with Diantha. It was a tough battle, but he and his team had fun battling her, and it pushed them all to the edge of their limits, forcing them to battle harder than they ever battled before. It was such a close battle, that at the time, he had no idea how it was going to turn out.

* * *

 _A year ago, Lowell and Diantha were facing off in the dazzling champion's room. Their battle had been going on for nearly an hour, and both trainers were down to their last Pokémon. Diantha's Mega Gardevoir stood up on one knee, panting and covered in injuries, and Lowell's Greninja stood across from Mega Gardevoir, in a similar condition._

 _So far, the battle has been so close, that neither trainer could predict what the outcome would be. Diantha knew that Lowell and his team were strong, but she didn't expect them to put up this big of a fight. Lowell was expecting a challenge, but he never thought a battle could be so intense. A single mistake was all it would take to lose the match, and all the hard work his team had put in would be for nothing. To him, they are more than just his team. They are his friends and family, and he didn't want to let all of their hard work go to waste, just because he couldn't handle the pressure._

 _In the midst of this intense battle, Diantha noticed Lowell smiling, which shocked her. How could he be smiling in such a serious battle?_

 _"_ _I'll admit…" he started, still smiling towards her. "This has been the toughest battle I have ever had." he said, clutching one of his hands into a fist. "However, this is also the most fun I have ever had in a battle. For that, I want to thank you, Diantha."_

 _This caught the champion off-guard, but a small smile graced her face. "There is no need. You and your team have worked hard to get to this point, and your strong bonds have proven to be the biggest challenge I have had in quite some time. I am enjoying this battle, as well. However, ..." her smile turned into a straight line, changing her face back to the serious one she had before. "It is about time we end this, don't you think?"_

 _Lowell's smile faded like Diantha's, and he nodded his head in agreement. The two Pokémon in front of them got ready, knowing that this would be the deciding move. Their bodies tensed, awaiting their trainers' calls._

 _Diantha grasped her necklace with her left hand, looking straight ahead. "Alright, Gardevoir. Let's show these two how powerful our bond is. Use_ _ **Moonblast**_ _, and hold nothing back!" she ordered, swiping her right hand forwards._

 _Gardevoir nodded her head to her trainer's order, and she raised her arms. A blue, moon-like light shined down upon Gardevoir, and a sphere of bright-pink energy expanded between her hands, until it was nearly the size of an Electrode._

 _Lowell and Greninja looked on with fiery determination in their eyes. This is the moment that they've been waiting for, since they started their journey. Seeing how far they have come since then, it made both of them very happy. Even if they don't win, that doesn't matter, because they know that they did their best, and Lowell will be proud of every member of his team, for trying their hardest to win. If they didn't give up, then neither would he._

 _"_ _This is it, buddy. It is now or never." Lowell said. "Let's give them everything we've got._ _ **Scald**_ _!"_

 _The boiling hot water swelled up in Greninja's mouth, and he released a stream of scalding water at the same time Mega Gardevoir released her Moonblast. The two attacks travelled to the center of the battlefield, causing an explosion of pink and blue that created smoke, blocking the vision of the two trainers._

 _Everything was quiet as the smoke settled. Neither Diantha or Lowell knew what the outcome was, and they were waiting tirelessly to see who the victor would be._

 _Once the smoke finally receded, it revealed Mega Gardevoir and Greninja still standing, unmoving. For a moment they thought that the battle was still on, but then Mega Gardevoir slumped forward and fell to the ground. A rainbow-like glow covered her body, and when it was gone, she had returned to normal. Not even a second after, Greninja fell to the ground._

 _The outcome left both trainers stunned. They had never expected a tie to take place._

 _After the outcome finally registered in his head, Lowell walked to where Greninja was laying and he kneeled beside him, placing a comforting hand on his friend's aching head. Greninja looked up, only to see his trainer's smile._

 _"_ _You did well, Greninja." Lowell stated as he pet the ninja Pokémon's head. "You all made me proud." he said, referring to the other members of their team._

 _Greninja smiled, laying there as his trainer continued to pet him. Even though they had only tied, they had still made it far, and that was all they could ask for._

 _On the other side of the field, Diantha was comforting Gardevoir._

 _"_ _You did wonderful, Gardevoir. Those two were definitely something, weren't they?" she said with a small smile on her face._

 _Gardevoir nodded weakly, looking at the trainer and Pokémon across from them. She hasn't felt this tired in a long time, and it makes her happy, knowing that there are other trainers and Pokémon with such a strong bond._

 _Moments later, Diantha stood up, and she returned Gardevoir to her poke ball, so that she could rest. After Gardevoir returned, she turned to face Lowell, who was trying to get Greninja to do a similar thing. Although Greninja kept refusing, not wanting to go back into his poke ball. Eventually, she heard Lowell sigh._

 _"_ _Fine, but if you insist on not going into your poke ball, then I am going to help you walk." Lowell said, leaning Greninja on his shoulder. "You just like to make more work for me, don't you?" he asked jokingly, which earned a small chuckle from the frog on his shoulder._

 _Diantha smiled brightly at the sight. Even though the battle ended in a tie, he wasn't letting it get him down. He cares more about his team, than he does winning. After a moment of consideration, she made her decision._

 _Lowell heard footsteps coming towards them, and he looked up to see Diantha standing in front of her._

 _"_ _I must say, that was quite unexpected." she said, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "The bond that you have with your Pokémon is one of the biggest I have ever seen. You didn't win, but you noticed the hard work your team put in, and you are proud of their achievements. I can tell how much you care for them."_

 _Lowell smiled and nodded his head in confirmation. "Of course. They are more than just a team, to me. They are my friends, and they are my family. I don't know where I would be today, if I hadn't met them." he said. Although he knows where he would be. He would still be back home, barely talking to anyone. Traveling with his extended family has helped him open up a lot more._

 _His answer made her happy. "In that case, I think that you are the right person to hold the title of champion." she said, causing their eyes to widen._

 _They couldn't believe what they were hearing. They didn't win, and yet Lowell was being offered the title of champion. They must have been dreaming._

 _"_ _Y-you're kidding, right?" Lowell asked, not believing his ears. Although, she nodded her head, confusing him even further. "B-but why? We didn't win."_

 _She shook her head. "I know, but that doesn't matter. You managed to make the match a draw, and you have proven that you cherish your friendship with your Pokémon. That is the most important quality that a champion should have." she explained. "So, do you accept?"_

 _Lowell was silent. He didn't know what to do. When he was younger, he would've screamed in joy if he was given the title of champion. Now, though, he isn't sure that is what he wants. If he is honest with himself, he is happy with spending time with his team, and traveling. What would he do with the title, anyways? It would just be more work._

 _He looked directly into Greninja's eyes, and he agreed with him. With a smile on his face, he turned back to Diantha, and he gave his answer._

* * *

Levy let out a small yell, gaining the attention of the people sitting near them. Although she didn't notice, because she was too busy freaking out.

"You declined her offer?!" she asked, shocked. "Why would you do that?"

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "It is just a title. Besides, if I did accept, then I would get way too much attention. That would be too much work for me."

"Besides, we didn't earn it." Greninja added. "Maybe if we had won, then we would've accepted the title, but even then, it didn't matter, to us."

Levy nodded her head in understanding. It makes sense, but she is just shocked to find out how strong Lowell and his Pokémon truly were. The fight with Gyrados ended quickly, so she didn't get a chance to see them use even a fraction of their power. It makes her wonder if they could stand up against a mage like Natsu or Erza.

 _"_ _That would be an interesting match."_ she thought to herself.

"Is there anything else that you would like to ask?" Lowell asked, snapping Levy out of her thoughts.

It took her a while, but she finally came up with her question. "Why did you choose to become a trainer?"

Lowell rose a questioning brow at her. "Why are you asking that?" he asked, slightly uncomfortable.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I was just curious. I doubt that being a trainer was the only thing you could've done. So, I was just a little curious, as to why you chose to become a trainer, of all things."

He is a little hesitant to answer, not because he doesn't want to, but because he knows that she will just have even more questions. Questions, which, he would rather not discuss.

Greninja noticed the confliction on his trainer's face, but he didn't say anything. He didn't have the right to say anything. If Lowell wanted to tell her, then he would tell her.

After a moment of silence, Lowell let out a tired sigh. "Fine." he said, setting his gaze towards the window, trying to find the right words. "It has been my dream, ever since I was a kid. My father was a trainer, and I wanted to be just like him. He didn't take on the gyms like I did, but just listening to his stories of when he was my age was enough to make me set on becoming a trainer." he explained. A small, sad smile was plastered on his face, remembering all the times his father would sit down and talk about his travels.

Levy noticed the sad smile, and she frowned. She can tell that there is more than what he is telling her, but she doesn't want to push him too much. She is asking a very personal question, so she can't expect him to tell her everything, at least not now, anyways.

After that, Lowell went silent. He was thinking about if he wanted to keep going, or if he should just stop talking. He really doesn't want to talk about it any further, but he doesn't want to seem rude to Levy. After all, she didn't tell him to answer; she asked him.

Suddenly, he felt something warm covering his hand, causing him to let out a surprised gasp. He looked down, and he noticed that Levy had taken one of his hands into her own. She is fighting away a small blush, and Lowell is now doing the same, but he doesn't try to move his hands away. He is oddly comfortable like this, despite his embarrassment.

They gazed into each other's eyes, and Levy has a comforting smile on her face. "It's alright, if you don't want to talk about it. I understand that there are things you aren't comfortable with telling me. I won't force you." she said reassuringly.

He was a little shocked at first, but he gave her a grateful smile, his wolf-like canines showing. He is glad that she isn't prying too much. For some reason, he finds Levy's company to be pleasant. In the future, he thinks that he will be willing to share more of his past with her, but for now, he would rather not talk about it.

"Don't worry. When I am ready to talk about this, you will be the first person that I tell." he said, before letting out another sigh. He has no clue what he is doing. "Normally, I don't talk this much to other people. I guess you must me a special case." he said, making her blush even more.

He chuckled a little at the sight. She is so cute when she blushes.

At that thought, his eyes widened in surprise. _"Did I really just think that?"_ he thought. He shook his head, trying to get of his blush, but it didn't work. Instead, he leaned back in his seat and turned on his side.

"W-we've still got a while until the train reaches the capital. I'm going to take a nap." he said, trying to avoid looking at the blue-haired girl across from him. "If I'm still asleep when the train stops, wake me up, Greninja."

The ninja Pokémon nodded his head and gave his trainer thumbs up. Lowell then closed his eyes, trying to forget about everything that had just occurred.

After Lowell fell asleep, Levy became anxious. She kept thinking about what he said, and she couldn't help but blush when thinking about it. Was saying that she is a special case his way of saying that he likes her? That's ridiculous. They just met, after all. How could he already like her, like that? Although isn't that what she feels towards him? Whenever they make physical contact with each other, she blushes, and she notices his blushes, as well.

She shook her head. _"I'm thinking too much into this."_ she thought, looking at his sleeping form.

Lowell is sitting in his seat with his legs tucked up under his chest, and his head laying against the back of the seat. He isn't facing her, but she can see his chest rise and fall with each breath. He isn't snoring, but he she can hear his quiet breaths. Overall, he looks peaceful in his sleep, and she can't help but smile at the sight.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Greninja said with a small smirk on his face.

His voice startled her, making her jump in fright. She almost yelled, but she stopped herself, not wanting to wake up the sleeping boy in front of her.

"Sorry." he apologized simply.

She caught her breath and shook her head. "It's fine. I'm surprised that you aren't tired, either."

Greninja shrugged his shoulders. "It is still daytime. Lowell just has a habit of taking naps whenever there isn't much to do. Basically, when he isn't training or working, he is sleeping. That's why a lot of people consider him to be lazy, but that is far from the truth." he explained.

A small grin appeared on her lips. "Well, I am sure that a lot of people tease him about that."

Greninja once again shrugged his shoulders. "Not really. He doesn't really have many friends, aside from our team, someone we met from another region, his family, and now you." he responded.

However, that only made Levy more curious. Why doesn't he have many friends? Is it because he traveled a lot, or did people not want to hang out with him, because they thought he was too lazy? The latter made her a little sad, because he isn't a bad person. He is actually really nice, so she can't understand why he wouldn't have many friends.

"I see that look on your face." Greninja said, catching Levy off-guard. "Before you jump to conclusions, he doesn't have many friends because he isn't normally a very social person. He is usually only comfortable around the other Pokémon and I, and his family, which is why he doesn't like being in crowded towns or cities." he explained.

"That makes sense." she responded. Although he didn't seem anti-social to her, when they were talking. Sure, maybe it was a bit awkward, but it was awkward for both of them.

"However…" Greninja continued, making Levy look back at Greninja, who is looking at her with a look of intrigue. "He seems to have taken a liking to you."

This statement made Levy blush harder than ever before. Hearing someone say it out loud makes it even more embarrassing, for her.

"W-well he did say that I was a…special case." she replied nervously. She isn't looking forward to where this conversation is going.

Greninja gave her a blank look. "You do realize that you were staring at him for nearly five minutes straight, right?" he asked.

Her eyes widened in shock. She didn't realize that it had been for that long. What could've possessed her to do such a thing? Could she really be in love with him, when they have hardly known each other for a day? She mentally shook her head. No. There is no way that could be it. Even if she did, there is no way that he would feel the same way about her.

"I-I didn't realize." she responded, hoping that the ninja Pokémon would just drop the conversation altogether.

Greninja looked at the still blushing girl, and he shook his head. No matter where Lowell goes, something always happens that complicates things. However, he would've never thought that girl problems would be one of them.

"It is probably none of my business, but what are your feelings towards Lowell?" he asked.

Any chance of her blush dying down just flew out the window, because she her face is a dark shade of crimson. She wasn't expecting him to outright ask her that.

She remained silent for a moment, considering how to respond to the ninja Pokémon's question. However, he let out a sigh, gaining her attention.

"It's fine. You don't need to answer, if you are uncomfortable. I was just curious." he said, moving his gaze to Lowell's sleeping form. "He is my best friend, and I just want to make sure that he doesn't get hurt. He may have not said it out loud, but I can tell that he likes you. If it is in a romantical sense, I am not completely sure." he said with a hardened look. "Either way, you are from another world, so there is a high chance that you will return there once everything is sorted out. If that is the case, then if you were to pursue any sort of romantical relationship, then it would leave him with a tough decision to make." he explained, giving her a soft smile near the end. "Still, it is a little ridiculous, thinking about that sort of thing, now. You've only just met. However, it is obvious that you have some sort of feelings for each other, considering how you act around the other."

Levy is speechless. She wasn't expecting him to say any of that, at all. She will admit, that she wouldn't mind giving a relationship between her and Lowell a chance, but it is too soon to know if it is just some silly crush, or if it a genuine feeling of love. She has never felt like this before, so it is hard to tell. Although she is curious, if Lowell really does feel a similar way about her. If so, then what would happen if Fiore ends up returning to Earthland? Would they be forced to part ways, or would he go with her? Would she be willing to risk something like that happening?

She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking about any of that. Right now, she is on a job. Once she finishes it, then she can worry about figuring out what kind of relationship she wants to have with Lowell. Heck, she doesn't even know if they will ever see each other again, after all this.

That thought made her frown. Even if they don't end up becoming a couple, she would like to at least be friends, because she has enjoyed talking to him. She liked learning more about his world, which might as well be considered her world, now, but she also liked learning more about him. It would make her sad if she couldn't see him, again.

She was broken out of her paranoid thoughts by the sound of Greninja chuckling. She looked up at him in confusion.

"It is obvious that you are reading too much into all this. I didn't mean to make you paranoid. Just forget about all that, for now. We will be arriving in Crocus in a couple hours, where we will be meeting with the king of Fiore. We can sort all of this out, once we are done with the job at hand." he said, making her blink.

She turned away from Greninja and looked out the window. As much as she wants to forget about it, she can't. How could meeting one person make her this confused?

* * *

It is now late into the afternoon, and the sun is beginning to go down. However, there are still many people on the crowded streets of Crocus, going about their own individual business. Some are visiting shops, while others are attending to important business meetings.

Out of nowhere, a horn sounded off, signaling the arrival of the train. It slid to a stop, screeching as it grinded against the rails, letting out a puff of steam from the engine. Passengers got out at the station, including Levy, Greninja, and a tired Lowell. He was just woken up, and he isn't that happy about it.

"You told me to wake you up once we arrived." Greninja said, ignoring all the strange looks he is being given by the people around them. At this point, he is used to the staring, though the big crowd makes him rather uncomfortable.

Levy let out a small giggle. "I can't believe that you actually slept the whole way here." she replied.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders with a tired frown on his face. "What can I say? It is one of the things I do the best." he responded.

He doesn't care how late it currently is. He doesn't mind going back to sleep soon. In fact, he was quite happy when he realized just how late it was. It means more sleep for him.

The three of them walked away from the station and into the big city. While they have been in big cities before, Lowell and Greninja are fascinated by the wide variety of shops found in the many streets. They sell souvenirs, food, clothing, and magic-related items, which neither trainer or Pokémon thought could ever exist. Every shop that they passed, they couldn't help but look at the items displayed in the windows. They aren't interested in buying them, especially since they can't afford them, but they will admit that they would like to learn more about them.

Levy noticed this, so she decided that they would take a small detour. _"It is getting late, anyways."_ she thought. She wouldn't want to bother the king so late, so it would be better if they went to talk to him, in the morning.

"How about we check out one of the magic shops?" she suggested.

They stopped walking, and Lowell and Greninja gave her uncertain looks.

"Are you sure?" Greninja asked.

Lowell nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It isn't important, and we also have an objective in mind." Lowell stated

Levy smiled and them. "Come on. Don't you think it would be smarter to find a hotel to stay in, tonight, and then talk with the king, tomorrow?" she asked.

They thought about it for a moment, before deciding that she was probably right. They don't know anything about the king, so they aren't sure how wise it would be to bother him at this time of day.

He sighed, running a hand through his spiky hair. "Alright. If you insist." he responded, to which Greninja didn't oppose.

Levy let out a girlish squeal before grabbing onto one of Lowell's hands and dragging him off to the nearest magic shop. Despite the blush on both of their faces, neither made any move of changing that.

"They might have some books about the basics of magic. That could come in handy, when I teach you how to use magic!" she declared, shocking Lowell and Greninja.

They knew that they had brought up the topic, before, but they didn't think that she was actually serious about it.

"Wait. You are seriously going to teach me how to use magic?" he asked in disbelief. She shrugged her shoulders as they kept walking.

"Of course. I said that I was going to teach you, and you said that you would teach me how to catch a Pokémon, as well. Even if you don't stay in Fiore for too long, that doesn't mean that we still can't do that." she replied.

Lowell mentally frowned when she said that. He won't stay in Fiore, forever, but he would like to stay, for a while. There are so many knew things for him to learn here, and he still needs to figure out how Fiore became a part of Earth, to begin with. So, until he does that, even if he leaves, he is still going to come back to Fiore. Besides, he would miss the company of Levy, no matter how embarrassed that makes him.

Still, knowing that she was still willing to teach him magic made him happy. He honestly wasn't expecting her to take that comment so seriously.

However, he soon realized what she had said, when she mentioned books.

"Don't tell me that you are going to spend even more money on me." He said, a little upset.

Again, she just shrugged her shoulders. "What are you going to do to stop me?" she asked, with a playful smile now present on her face.

It didn't take long for the two of them to get into an argument, making Greninja sweat-drop.

 _"_ _Here we go again."_ he thought shaking his head as he followed them.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, the three of them exited a small magic shop. Much to Lowell's pleading, Levy didn't listen, and she bought several books that are for people who are just starting out as a wizard. She has a lot of books, back at Fairy Hills, but she did this, so that he wouldn't have to keep borrowing books from her. They weren't too expensive, but they were still expensive enough to make him complain about it.

However, she just kept walking, with a small smirk on her face. "I already bought them, so stop complaining, would ya'?" she asked jokingly. She turned back to see him carrying the bag of books with a frown on his face. "Seriously, only you would complain about something as trivial as this."

Greninja nodded his head in agreeance. "She is right, you know. Besides, she offered. It isn't like you asked her to do any of this."

Lowell threw his hands up in the air in defeat with an annoyed grunt. "Fine, you win!" he exclaimed, before crossing his arms underneath his chest.

Levy giggled at how childish he was being, before thinking that he was cute when he acted like that. Of course, that caused her to turn around quickly before Lowell could take notice of the blush on her face.

As they walked, Lowell and Greninja began to wonder what hotel they would be staying at, since they aren't very familiar with the city. Normally, they would just sleep in the woods, but they weren't going to force Levy to do that, just because they hated being in big cities.

"We are going to the inn that Fairy Tail's teams stayed in during the Grand Magic Games. It is known as the Honey Bone Inn." she stated.

"That is quite an odd name." Greninja commented, to which Levy shrugged her shoulders.

They continued to walk down the path to the inn, until they heard a loud explosion go off. They look further down the street, and they could see smoke rising from buildings, and fires erupting out of nowhere.

"Could it be another Pokémon?" Lowell and Greninja asked at the same time.

Levy gave them a sheepish smile as she rubbed the back of her neck. "W-well, I am not quite sure, but I have a feeling that this has nothing to do with Pokémon."

Lowell and Greninja exchanged a look of confusion with each other. "Please explain." Lowell said.

She sighed and began to walk towards the chaos. "How about we go find out, even though I already know the answer."

The two behind her were still confused, but they followed her anyways. If she knew what was going on, then something tells Lowell that they are in for an interesting night.

The closer that they get to the chaos, they see people running away in panic. Lowell could've sworn that he heard a man yell "They've gone too far, again!", but he wasn't quite sure.

He took another step forward, almost getting caught in a fireball that landed right in front of him. Suddenly, a boy with pink hair went flying past him and to a nearby building. He could hear Levy sigh beside him.

"I had a feeling that it was him." she responded.

Lowell looked at her in slight shock. "Wait. You know him?" he asked.

She nodded her head with slight embarrassment. "Yes. That is Natsu, one of the Dragon Slayers I told you about. As you can see, he is a little…destructive." she explained.

Looking around at the damage he caused, Lowell could believe it. Although, what reason would he have for destroying part of the city?

Suddenly, the air around them began to get a little cold, and ice began to cover parts of the streets. Lances made from ice went crashing into Natsu, pushing him further into the building he had landed in.

Levy sighed again. "Of course. They just had to go on a job together, didn't they?" she asked herself.

He was about to ask what she meant, but then he noticed a black-haired boy around their age, not wearing a shirt, running towards Natsu. He placed his hands together, causing an icy mist to form.

"Take this, you Pyro! **Ice Make: Lance!** " Just like before, lances made from ice were sent flying towards Natsu, but this time, they were burnt away. Natsu stood up from the crater he made, fire covering his body.

"You'll pay for that, Ice Princess!" he yelled, getting in a fighting stance. He leapt towards the black-haired boy, letting out a battle cry.

 **"** **Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"**

Natsu went crashing into the boy's stomach, causing both of them to crash into another building.

"Is that another one of your guildmates?" Greninja asked with a sweat-drop.

Levy nodded her head, looking at the ground. "Yeah. That's Gray. When those two are around, they always end up fighting. They are two of the guild's most destructive mages."

Lowell watched in amazement. They were definitely strong. He could feel the fire and ice from where he is standing, and they are yards away from him. What else are these mages capable of?

He watched as they continued to fight, wondering if they should intervene, or not. However, before he could do anything, a blue, flying cat appeared next to his head, startling him.

"Hey, Lucy, I found them!" he yelled.

Footsteps could be heard behind them, and when he turned around, he saw a blonde-haired girl running towards them. She has a ring of keys in her hand, and on the back of her hand is the Fairy Tail emblem.

Lucy stopped right beside him and the cat, catching her breath. "Good job, Happy. Now we just need to stop them, before they destroy the rest of the city."

However, she then noticed the boy and frog standing next to them, as well as Levy.

"Levy? What are you doing here, and who are these people?" she asked.

"Oh, hey Lu!" she greeted with a happy smile on her face. "This is Lowell and Greninja. The master gave me a job to escort them to Mercurius, to speak with the king."

This shocked Lucy and Happy. He must be important if he is meeting with the king.

"What exactly are you?" Happy asked Greninja, giving him an odd look.

Greninja didn't seem happy. "I'm a Pokémon. What are you, a flying cat?"

He shook his head. "Nope! I'm an exceed!" the blue cat explained.

"Well, you look like a flying cat." Lowell responded. "I mean, I have seen much weirder, but to be fair, I have met Pokémon that are giant ice-cream cones and lamps."

Gray and Natsu continued to fight, but they continued to ignore them.

"What is a Pokémon?" Lucy asked.

Levy's eyes widened in realization. "That's right! You weren't in the guild hall, when master told everyone. They are the strange creatures that began to appear out of nowhere."

Lucy's eyes widened, and she reached for one of her keys. _"What is that supposed to do?"_ Lowell thought. However, Levy seemed fairly alarmed by it.

"Wait, Lucy! They aren't bad. Not all Pokémon are bad. Some of them have been attacking, because they lost their homes when Fiore became a part of Earth." she explained.

Lucy and Happy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Earth? What are you talking about?"

Levy sighed. "We'll explain later, but first, we need to stop those two from fighting." she said, meaning Natsu and Gray.

However, when they turned around, they saw that both of them had been knocked out and now have bumps on their heads. Standing above them is a scarlet=haired girl wearing a suit of armor.

"That is enough." she stated firmly.

Lucy and Happy began to cheer, thankful that she had appeared when she did. Apparently, this is a normal occurrence for them. He is beginning to wonder how wild Fairy Tail is.

The girl in armor walked away from Natsu and Gray's unconscious bodies and towards the mages and Lowell and Greninja. She noticed two unfamiliar faces, one of them being a creature she had never encountered before.

"Who are they?" she asked, rather coldly.

Lowell sighed. "Man, is every member of your guild going to introduce themselves this way?" he asked Levy.

She laughed sheepishly. "Sorry about that." she apologized before turning to the girl. "Erza, this is Lowell, and his partner, Greninja. Master gave me a job to escort them to the king, so that he can convince him that the Pokémon aren't a threat."

She raised her brow. "Pokémon? Do you mean those creatures?" she asked.

Levy nodded her head as a response. "Yes. How about we talk about this, once we check into our hotel. It is getting rather late."

The others agreed, and Lowell and Greninja ended up dragging the unconscious mages all the way to the hotel. How they got stuck with that task, they aren't quite sure.

Once they checked into their hotel rooms, Lowell and Levy explained everything to them, including how Fiore had been sent to another world, somehow. They had a hard time believing it, especially Erza, but Lowell was proof enough.

Somewhere during the explanation, Natsu and Gray woke up, and Natsu attempted to challenge Greninja to a fight. Of course, that ended with Greninja knocking out Natsu with a chop to the neck.

They all decided that they would go to the king's castle together, in the morning, before they went to sleep. The girls stayed in one room, while the guys stayed in another. Thankfully, Natsu stayed asleep, and Gray stopped attempting to hold small talk, when he realized that Lowell was already sleeping, and Greninja had returned to his poke ball.

Lowell had enough for one day, so he was ready to go to sleep, and be well rested for tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, when Lowell woke up, he was happy to find that the guys were still fast asleep. Otherwise, they would've most likely woken him up with their fighting. Although he can see why they are always fighting. From what he witnessed yesterday, Natsu uses Fire Magic, and Gray uses Ice Magic. It is only natural that they are constantly fighting each other.

Lowell groaned as he sat up, rubbing his tired eyes. He has never been a morning person, even when he was younger. He always dreads waking up in the morning, because he would rather sleep in all day if possible, but he knows that there are important things that need to be done.

With a sigh, he stood up, stretching his whole body. A loud popping sound could be heard throughout the room, causing a sigh of relief to leave Lowell's mouth. The bed was comfortable, but Natsu wouldn't stop snoring, and it made him hard to fall asleep. For much of the night, he ended up tossing and turning, until he was finally too tired to stay awake, anymore.

 _"_ _I swear, I am never sleeping in a room with Natsu, again."_ he thought as he made his way to the window. He opened the curtains, allowing the sun's rays to shine into the room, making it feel much warmer.

He looked down at the streets, and judging by how many people were out and about, he assumed that it was at least seven or eight in the morning. Lowell walked back to the foot of his bed and grabbed his jacket, before going to the bathroom to shower.

It didn't take him long to find the bathroom, since each room in the hotel has its own personal bathroom. He must admit, that is one thing he likes about hotels. Even in Kalos, the Pokémon Centers that he stayed at had a bathroom for each individual room, which he has always enjoyed.

He closed the door behind him, stripped off his clothes, and stepped into the shower. As soon as the warm water hit his face, he let out a sigh of relief. It has been almost three days since he last showered, since there was no bathroom on the train. He would've taken one last night, but he was too tired to bother.

For a couple minutes, he stood underneath the warm water, thinking about what he is going to say to the king of Fiore. He has spoken with people of a high standing, before, but he has never spoken to someone as important as a king. He needs to be very careful with what he says.

 _"_ _Hopefully I will be able to convince him to give Pokémon a chance. Otherwise, this is going to cause a lot of trouble, and not just for us. Now that Fiore is a part of Earth, it is most likely going to stay like that, for quite some time. We need to be able to understand each other, if we want to coexist peacefully."_ he thought.

He knows that he shouldn't be overthinking things, but this is important. Diantha and the professor have entrusted him with this task, and he doesn't want to let them down. He has dealt with big problems, before. Heck, he managed to stop Team Flare before they could destroy most of the world. However, he has never dealt with something this big, before. If he messes this up, then everyone will pay for it, and he doesn't want that to happen. He will make sure that doesn't happen.

* * *

After he finished taking his shower, he changed into his clothes, and he made his way downstairs. He is hoping that the girls are up, at least, because otherwise they would have to wait forever to leave. They agreed to go to the castle, together, which Lowell doesn't find to be necessary, but they have apparently been there before, so at least they won't get lost on the way there.

He reached the bar on the bottom floor, and he noticed that Levy and Erza are both sitting at the bar. Levy has a drink, and Erza is…eating a cheesecake? Okay. He was not expecting that.

 _"_ _Who eats cheesecake for breakfast?"_ he thought.

Lowell walked up to the bar, and he sat down in a seat next to Levy. Once she realized he was there, she gave him a smile.

"Good morning, Lowell." she greeted happily.

"Good morning." he responded tiredly. A bartender with long, brown hair walked up to him and asked him if he wanted anything, to which he declined. Once again, he has no money, and he isn't exactly hungry. The bartender walked away, and Greninja finally decided to appear from his Pokémon, startling Levy and Erza. Lowell, on the other hand, didn't seem phased by this, which is to be expected.

Greninja stretched his arms and legs before sitting down next to Greninja. "Man, those two sure do snore, don't they?" he asked irritated.

Lowell chuckled a bit with a small grin. "I guess you had difficulty sleeping, as well?" he assumed, to which Greninja nodded his head.

"Just because I am in my poke ball, it doesn't mean that I can't hear what happens outside it." he responded. Greninja then looked towards Levy and Erza. "How do you deal with them, all the time?" he asked.

Levy giggled. "You get used to it, after a while. Natsu and Gray are best friends, but you wouldn't guess that just by looking at them. Still, as childish as they may look, they are both powerful wizards, and they are also very kind."

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, they are very promising, but they let their destructiveness get the better of them."

Levy sweat-dropped. _"You are just as destructive as them, you know?"_ she thought.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well. No one can be perfect. I, and my entire team, can attest to that statement." he responded. "In fact, Natsu and Gray's constant fighting kind of reminds me of Charizard and Dragonite, don't you think, Greninja?" he asked, turning towards his partner.

Greninja scoffed and shook his head. "Charizard and Dragonite are worse than the pyro and the ice stripper. If those two ever get at it in the middle of a big city, there would be no telling how much damage they would cause." he said with a small chuckle.

This statement caused Erza's eyes to widen in pure shock and amazement. "Are these…Pokémon of yours really that strong?" she asked incredulously.

He thought carefully for a moment. They have never gone up against a mage before, but his entire team managed to defeat Lysandre and Team Flare, as well as the Elite Four, and they also made their battle with Diantha a tie. The only way to find out how they stack up against a mage is for them to actually fight one.

"They can definitely cause a lot of destruction if they get careless, that's for sure. Although, I am not quite sure how strong they are, compared to a mage. We will have to find that out, sometime." he explained.

Levy and Erza nodded their heads. It would be an interesting event, that is for sure.

Footsteps could be heard coming closer. They all turned their heads, and they saw that Lucy was walking towards them with a small, tired smile on her face.

"Hey guys. I guess we're still waiting on Natsu, Happy, and Gray, right?" she asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yeah. Although I highly doubt that they will wake up on their own accord." he responded with a playful smirk on his face.

She sighed and shook her head as she sat down next to the others. "They probably spent most of the night fighting each other." she said to herself before giving Lowell an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you had to sleep with them. I doubt you got much sleep at all."

He and Greninja both shook their heads. "Thankfully, neither of them woke up the other Pokémon. If they did, they most likely wouldn't be in the city, anymore."

This comment got Levy thinking. "Hey. I have only met Greninja and Stunfisk, so far. When will we get to meet the others?" she asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Whenever there is a decent opportunity to do so. I'd say that it would be best to save that meeting, until after we talk with the king." he answered.

The others nodded in understanding. Although they are also really curious to see what other Pokémon Lowell has trained. From what he told them last night, they know that there are all kinds of Pokémon. They don't know what to expect.

Suddenly, Greninja stood up, and he began to walk towards the staircase. "I'm going to wake up those three. I would rather get to the castle, as quickly as possible. We don't want to keep the king waiting." he said before disappearing up the stairs.

Lowell leaned back in his seat as he watched his partner leave. A small chuckle escaped his lips. "Hopefully they don't retaliate." he replied.

The others looked at him in confusion. "What do you mea-" Erza was interrupted by the sound of screaming coming from a higher floor. There a loud thud that caused the mages to flinch, and suddenly, Natsu, Gray, and Happy went tumbling down the stairs, landing hard on their faces.

Greninja came down shortly after that, dusting off his hands. He noticed the stairs he received from the mages, but he just shrugged his off and rejoined them. "They tried to hit me when I woke them up." he replied simply.

A low groan could be heard from the ground, and Natsu sat up, rubbing his head. He sent Greninja an angry glare. "What the heck, man! Why did you hit us so hard?!" he asked.

Gray sat up rubbing a bruise on his shoulder, giving Greninja an icy glare. "Yeah! What gives?!"

Happy lazily floated towards the others, and he landed on the counter they were sitting at. "Who knew a frog could pack that big of a punch?" he asked no one in particular.

Lowell sighed tiredly. "Did you really need to do that? Now they are going to be a pain all day." Lowell responded.

Once again, Greninja just shrugged it off. "Like I said, they tried to hit me."

Gray suddenly appeared in front of Greninja, ready to fight. "That wasn't me!" he yelled, pointing over to Natsu, who is still sitting on the ground. "It was flame brain, over there!"

This comment didn't sit well with Natsu, and he got right up in Gray's face. "Why are you blaming me, ya' stripper?!"

"Because it was your fault, pyro!" Gray responded angrily.

They were about to start another fight, but Greninja and Erza appeared behind them, hitting both of them on top the head, leaving another large bruise. Greninja looked to Lowell. "Maybe we should get going, before these two start fighting again." he suggested.

Knowing that it was their best option, Lowell agreed. He stood up from his seat and grabbed Gray, while Greninja grabbed Natsu. There was no way in hell Lowell was going to carry Natsu, knowing that as soon as he woke up, he would try to punch him. With Greninja carrying him, he would be able to knock him out again, if he started causing more trouble.

Lowell sighed. "More work." he muttered.

He and Greninja began to leave the hotel with Gray and Natsu on their shoulders, while the others followed closely behind.

* * *

On their way to Mercurius, the king's castle, Lowell and the others discussed what he would say in front of the king. Honestly, he has no idea. His plan is to just answer the king's questions truthfully, and do whatever he can to prove that humans and Pokémon can work together. He is hoping that the king is reasonable, at the very least.

Then he realized something. "Wait. You've been in the castle before, right?" he asked.

The mages nodded, including Natsu and Gray who regained consciousness minutes ago. Although Erza and Greninja already threatened to knock them out again if they did anything foolish, so they are staying a decent distance away from each other.

"Yes, that is correct. The king threw a part in the castle after the Grand Magic Games." Erza explained. She then raised her eyebrow at him. "Why?" she asked.

"Does that mean you have met the king, as well?" Lowell asked.

Lucy nodded her head. "Of course. Most people would think he would be intimidating, but he isn't all that scary. He is actually pretty nice, once you talk to him for a bit." she explained.

Lowell sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried that he would be completely unreasonable, and that he wouldn't even listen to what I have to say."

Erza smiled. "Don't worry about that. If you behave, then I am sure everything will be alright." she said, sending Natsu and Gray a scary look, making them look away from each other.

He and Greninja both scoffed at this, knowing that they won't have a problem with that. Their only problem will be getting Natsu and Gray to behave. It is only a matter of time before they decide to start up another fight.

Levy looked back at Lowell, with a slight frown on her face. Ever since they ran in with Erza and the others, she hasn't gotten much time to talk to him. Her mind then travelled to her conversation with Greninja on the train, and she began to blush. She quickly turned back around, so that Lowell wouldn't notice this.

She can't believe what she is thinking, right now. She shouldn't be upset about something like that. She can worry more about all that once the job is over.

Suddenly, she felt someone tap her on her shoulder, making her jump a little. She turned, and she smiled when she realized that it was just Lucy. "What's up, Lu?" she asked.

Lucy has a small frown on her face. "Are you alright, Levy? You've been acting strange, since we met up, yesterday. Is something wrong?" she asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

Levy mentally sighed. She didn't realize that her behavior was that obvious. Although she shouldn't be surprised that Lucy noticed it. She doesn't spend as much time with her as Natsu and the others, but they are still really good friends.

She didn't want Lucy to catch on to what is really bothering her, so she made herself smile. "Don't worry. Everything is alright. I am just thinking about a lot, right now. Ever since I met Lowell, I have been learning so much about Pokémon. I can't help but wonder more about them." she lied, hoping that Lucy would accept it.

The Celestial Spirit Mage looked at her friend for a moment before smiling and nodding her head. "That makes sense. Maybe after he is done talking with the king, he will be willing to stick around, for a while. It would be nice to hear more of his stories. Who knows? Maybe it will even help me come up with an idea for a book?"

The two friends chuckled with each other. Although on the inside, Levy agrees with Lucy. She wants Lowell to stay for a while, but for her own reasons. As much as she enjoys learning about Pokémon, she wants to spend more time with him. He did say that he might stay in Fiore, for a while. However, that doesn't mean that he will stick around them. He may go off and explore on his own. She wants him to join Fairy Tail, but she doesn't want to just randomly ask, because she doesn't want to sound desperate.

Suddenly, a loud yell snapped Levy out of her thoughts. Natsu finally got tired of being quiet, and he lit one of his fists on fire.

"That's it! After this is said and done, I am going to have a battle with one of your Pokémon!" he declared with eyes full of determination.

None of the mages seemed surprised by Natsu's sudden declaration, and neither were Lowell and Greninja. In fact, they were hoping that he would say something like that.

Lowell smirked. "Alright then, Natsu. I have a proposal for you. If you can make it through the meeting with the king without destroying something or fighting someone, then I will give you the battle you want."

This only managed to make Natsu even more fired up than before. "Yeah! I am gonna prove that Pokémon stand no chance against a dragon!" he declared.

Gray smirked. "Didn't you lose to one that looked like a big fish?" he asked smugly.

"Aye, sir!" Happy replied with a paw in the air. "That fish came out of nowhere and started smacking Natsu with its tail. Although if he would've let me at it, it wouldn't have gotten away."

It took so much for Lowell to not burst out laughing in front of the others, and Greninja is in a similar state. The others noticed this.

"Hey, what's so funny?!" Natsu asked, fuming with rage.

Lowell took out his Pokedex and showed Natsu an image of the Pokémon he was talking about.

 _"_ _Magikarp: The Fish Pokémon. It is virtually worthless in terms of both power and speed. It is the most weak and pathetic Pokémon in the world."_ the Pokedex stated.

After hearing that, no one could contain their laughter anymore. Even Erza couldn't suppress a small chuckle from escaping her lips.

Lucy had to wipe tears from her eyes. "Wow, Natsu. I didn't realize that the almighty Dragon Slayer would be beaten by something that is considered the weakest." she said while still laughing.

He turned around and glared at her. "S-shut up! It caught me off-guard, that's all! I'll show that thing who's boss, the next time around!"

Levy put a finger to her chin in thought. The name sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure where. Suddenly, it hit her, and her eyes widened in fear.

"W-wait a second. Isn't Magikarp…"

Lowell nodded his head with a grin, showing off his fang-like teeth. "That's right. When Magikarp evolves, it becomes a Gyarados, like the one we fought in Hargeon Port."

Remembering that giant serpent made Levy's spine shutter. They may have defeated it quite quickly, but the sheer power that it had was frightening. The encounter with Gyarados, as well as seeing Lowell's Pokémon in action makes her wonder how powerful the other Pokémon are.

Erza raised her brow. "Gyarados?" she asked.

Greninja nodded. "Yes. We briefly told you of what evolution was. When a Pokémon gains a certain amount of experience, or meets certain requirements, they go through evolution, which makes them stronger. For example: Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, which is an instance of a very weak Pokémon evolving into one that can wreak an insane amount of havoc." Greninja explained.

Once again, Gray chuckled. "So, that means Natsu has absolutely no chance at beating it, then." he commented. Of course, this made Natsu angry, and Gray received a flaming fist to the head.

"I'd like to see you try, stripper!" he yelled.

Gray got up in Natsu's face, an icy aura surrounding his body. "What did you call me, pyro?!"

Before another fight could fully break out, Greninja stepped in between them and punched them both in the face, sending them flying in opposite directions. He has a deadpanned expression on his face. "Those two will never learn, will they?" he asked rhetorically.

Everyone shook their heads. It is as clear as day that nothing will stop those two from fighting each other.

Lowell looked back at the two unconscious mages and sighed. If they weren't in a crowded city, he would have Charizard or Dragonite carry one of them, because he is getting tired of carrying them everywhere. Then he noticed that Greninja was already carrying Gray, which meant that he had to carry Natsu.

He scoffed before walking up to Natsu and dragging him by his arm. Lowell might be stronger than most people his age, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't get tired. There is no way that he is carrying Natsu on his shoulders, because he is a lot heavier than he looks.

"How much does this guy eat?" he asked to no one in particular.

"He eats out every buffet that he runs into." Lucy responded with a deadpanned expression on her face.

"Aye, sir! He is almost as heavy as Lucy!" Happy responded, earning a kick from the blonde-haired mage.

Lowell scoffed. "In that case…" he picked up Natsu and threw him at Happy. "You carry him. He is your best friend, after all." he said as he walked off, not giving Happy a chance to respond. "Hurry up. The longer we fool around like this, the longer the king will be kept waiting. I would rather not upset the leader of a kingdom full of wizards."

Levy and Lucy exchanged a look with each other. "Well, at least he has a better work ethic than Natsu." Lucy responded, to which Levy giggled.

"Well, from what Greninja told me, he also likes to nap a lot." Levy responded, earning a small glare from the ninja Pokémon.

"He doesn't sleep on the job." he said as he passed them. "Now hurry up. We'll be left behind if we stand around here, all day."

None of them could argue with that logic, so they all made their way towards Mercurius. Levy and Lucy caught up with Lowell quickly, because they knew that he has no idea where he is going. If they follow his lead, they will most likely end up getting lost.

About half an hour later, they arrived in front of Mercurius, where Lowell and Greninja couldn't believe their eyes. Never during their travels have they come across something as big as this. The only things he can compare it to are the Tower of Mastery and the Pokémon League. Still, neither of those are as big as the castle in front of them.

"I was expecting a castle, but not one this big." Lowell replied with his mouth agape.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement, with wide eyes. "I guess it would only make sense. After all, it does belong to a royal family." he responded.

Lucy looked at the castle with a curious expression on her face. "I wonder how the princess is doing. It has been a while since we last saw her."

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "It has. Perhaps we will see her, as well." she responded, making Lucy smile. She truly hopes that she gets to see the princess. They don't know each other very well, but she still considers her a friend.

As they were about to walk through the gates, they were blocked by a pair of guards. They are both holding spears in their hands, pointing them towards the group.

"State your name and business." one of the guards stated.

Lowell walked forward, followed by Greninja. The two guards were a little unnerved by seeing Greninja, but they stood their ground. "My name is Lowell Falkov, and this is my partner, Greninja. I am with a group of mages from the Fairy Tail guild. I was sent here by a woman called Diantha, the champion of the Kalos Region. I am supposed to speak with the king." he explained.

At first, the guards had no clue what he was talking about, but then the other guard remembered, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Y-you mean that you are from the other world?!" he asked.

 _"_ _I guess that means that some people know about Earth, well, at least those close to the king."_ Lowell thought. He nodded his head as confirmation. "Yes. Well, technically, you are currently in my world, but you haven't seen anything outside of Fiore, yet. Anyways, may we please speak with the king? I don't want to keep him waiting."

The guards looked at each other for a moment before nodding their heads and moving their spears away. "Follow us." the first guard said.

The two guards led the entire group through the castle, and Lowell and Greninja couldn't help but marvel at the sights. Everything is a pristine white, even the ceiling, and torches line the walls. There are occasional arches in the walls, as well as stone statues on pedestals. As they walked through the halls of the castle, they could hear their footsteps echo loudly.

Once they finally reached the end of the hall, they noticed a woman standing in front of a large door. She has short, gray hair, and she is wearing a white shirt and shorts, and a white cloak with wing-like adornments on her back.

Lowell smiled. He would recognize her anywhere.

Once they reached the doorway, the two guards left them, to return to their post.

The woman turned around, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Lowell. However, a smile than formed on her face. "It has been a while, Lowell, Greninja." she greeted.

He and Greninja both nodded their heads. "It definitely has. I was a little surprised when you requested for my help, but I wouldn't turn you down." he said with a grin the showed off his canines.

"How have you been, Diantha?" Greninja asked, causing Diantha to jump a bit.

"Sorry about that." she said with a small laugh. "I am still not used to hearing Pokémon speak English. I thought that it was only my team, but I guess I was wrong." she explained.

The mages from Fairy Tail looked at Diantha, shocked.

"S-she is Diantha?" Levy asked with wide eyes.

"She is beautiful." Lucy commented, earning a chuckle from Diantha.

"Thank you. Not only am I the champion of the Kalos Region, but I am also an actress. I am expected to keep up my appearance, even though that doesn't mean all that much to me, anyways." she explained.

Erza looked at her with admiration. "How inspiring. She is a powerful trainer, as well as a hardworking actress. That must take a lot of your time."

Diantha nodded her head with a small smile. "Yes. It is very time consuming, but I think that it is worth it. Not only am I able to battle alongside my Pokémon, but I am also able to inspire others and make them happy through my acting."

Gray crossed his arms underneath his chest and grinned. "That is pretty inspiring."

However, all of this went in one of Natsu's ears and out the other one. He rushed forwards, lighting his fist on fire. "Fight me!" he yelled.

Before Natsu could reach her, a blue glow came out of her pocket, and Gardevoir appeared in front of her. Her eyes glowed blue, and so did Natsu. Natsu began to float in the air, making him panic a little.

"W-what the heck is going on?! Put me down!" he demanded.

Gardevoir did as he asked, and her eyes stopped glowing, causing him to fall head first into the floor, giving him yet another bump on his head.

Lowell sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, Diantha. He wasn't originally supposed to be here, but he is a member of Levy's guild, and we just so happened to run into him and some of her other friends in the city." Lowell explained.

She shook her head, laughing a little. "It is quite fine, Lowell. Although, I am curious as to why he tried to attack me." she said putting a hand to her chin.

Lucy gave a sheepish laugh. "Natsu tends to challenge anyone who he thinks is strong to a fight. Since you are the champion, he thought that it would be a good idea to challenge you to a fight, which like normal, went terribly wrong for him." she explained.

Diantha chuckled and smiled towards Lowell. "Kind of reminds me of a certain electric-type that I once battled against." she responded.

Lowell's grin changed to a smirk. "Yeah. Stunfisk can be a handful, sometimes. Well, most of my Pokémon can be a handful, but I still consider each and every one of them to be a part of my family." he said, smiling down at Greninja, who smiled back.

The members of Fairy Tail smiled upon hearing Lowell's sentiment towards his Pokémon, even Natsu, who is still trying to nurse the bump on his head. His Pokémon are to him like Fairy Tail is to them. It is clear that they aren't just a means of power for him. He cares about them, and he would do anything for them, and vice versa.

Diantha smiled and let out a sigh. "That is precisely why I feel like you should've accepted my offer to become the champion. The battle ended in a draw, but I can tell that you have what it takes." she said. However, she took one look at Lowell's serious face, and she knew that she couldn't convince him to change his mind. "Alright. I might as well stop trying. No matter how many time I tell you this, you never change your mind."

He shook his head. "Of course, I won't. I said it many, and I will continue to say it. It doesn't matter if I am not the champion. All I care about is spending time with my family, and proving to ourselves that our bond is strong enough. I don't care what other people think. As far as I am concerned, the title of "Champion" is a symbol of your strength, and strength has never been something that I cared much about." he explained.

Greninja couldn't agree more. When he was first chosen as Lowell's partner, he wasn't very strong. Heck, it took weeks of training before he could finally hold his own in a fight. The other Pokémon that Lowell caught weren't very strong at first, either. However, he saw potential in all of them, and he wanted to give them a chance to prove themselves, as well as to give them a place they can call home.

Levy was shocked by his words. She knew how he felt, but she didn't realize that he felt this strongly about it. For some reason, hearing him talk like that, it made her feel warm inside. She isn't sure why, but it isn't a bad feeling. She looked up at him with curiosity. _"Why are you making me feel this way?"_ she thought. She'll admit, she might've felt something similar for Gajeel, not too long ago, but that feeling is gone, now. It has been replaced with a new one for Lowell. For some reason, there is something about him that just naturally draws her to him, but she can't place her finger on what it is.

Levy jumped when she was snapped out of her thoughts by a raging Natsu. His body is surrounded in fire, and he ran straight towards Lowell.

"There is no way in hell that I am letting you get off with not fighting me, now!" he exclaimed.

Lowell sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Oh, Natsu." he muttered, with a small shadow casted over his eyes. When he looked up, he had an evil glint in his eyes. "Did you forget our deal?" he asked, dodging the fiery punches from the angry dragon slayer. Did Natsu forget that Lowell can't fight back? It isn't like he was going to fight him, anyways.

He let out another sigh, as he dodged a powerful blow aimed for his head. _"I warned him, didn't I?"_ he thought. He gave Greninja a look, and his partner already knew what he wanted him to do. In an instant, Greninja disappeared from his spot, and he reappeared behind Natsu, grabbing him by the back of the vest and tossing him into a wall.

For a moment, Natsu was dazed, and he didn't even see Lowell's fist aiming straight for his face. He landed on the ground with a loud thud, sporting several new bruises, courtesy of Lowell and Greninja.

The others looked at them in pure shock, including Diantha and Gardevoir. They knew that he had a low tolerance for unnecessary foolishness, but they had never witnessed Lowell actually hit someone. He seemed to be lightening up a bit, as well. Although with these wizards, one might need to take a more drastic approach to get them to settle down.

"That was…quite unexpected." Gardevoir commented. Her voice is smooth and angelic.

Diantha nodded her head in agreement, her eyes wide in shock. "I never thought I would witness Lowell hit someone, and actually mean to hurt them." she said in disbelief.

Greninja just shrugged it off, while Lowell was seen cracking his knuckles and the muscles in his neck. "It has been a while since I let off some steam, despite how little it was. There is only so much of that boy's childish behavior that a person can take." he responded in irritation.

Lucy is shaking in slight fear while pointing at Lowell with a shaky finger. "I-I thought that he was normal!" she exclaimed.

Levy is just as shocked as she is, but she can't put it into words. She had only ever seen his serious side when they encountered Gyarados, and even then, he was relatively calm. Now, however, he had grown irritated with Natsu's constant fighting and yelling. It doesn't change how she sees him, but now she knows just a little bit more about him. Don't piss him off.

Gray is in the background, laughing away at what just occurred. He didn't realize it, but he had also stripped his shirt off, leaving him in only his black pants.

"Gray, your clothes." Happy stated, causing Gray to panic and start searching around for his missing shirt.

Erza simply watched with awe. She wasn't expecting him to be as strong as he is. He isn't a mage, but it is clear as day that he has done strenuous physical training. While it isn't very noticeable with his clothes covering them, she can tell that he has muscles.

"I am surprised that you have so much strength for someone who doesn't know how to use magic." she said, studying him for a moment. "Plus, when you explained that you commanded Pokémon in battle, I wasn't expecting you to know how to fight. "Clearly, I was wrong." she said with a slightly apologetic smile towards the end.

Lucy sighed. "Didn't I tell you not to think that?" she asked, slightly annoyed. "I get help from my spirits, but I still fight alongside them. Maybe he doesn't battle with his Pokémon, but I wouldn't be surprised if he trained with them."

He just shrugged his shoulders, not really giving it much importance. "Why should they do all the work? Sure, I come up with strategies and give the orders, but I wouldn't ask them to do something that I wouldn't be willing to at least attempt to do. I refuse to depend solely on them. If something happens, I want to be able to step in, and to not just be a helpless bystander." he explained.

Diantha's smile never faltered. "This is exactly why I entrusted you with this task, Lowell. Your bond with your team – your family – is what makes you the perfect person to prove that humans and Pokémon can trust each other and work together. You see them as more than just tools. If anyone can get this message across to the king, it is you."

Hearing Diantha say this made him happy. He respects her, and he sees her as a role-model. Hearing her give him praise such as this makes him even more confident. Normally, he wouldn't care what people think, but her opinion is one of the few that matters to him.

Everything was quiet for a moment, until Gardevoir cleared her throat. "I believe that we have wasted enough time, don't you?" she stated.

Everyone's gaze turned serious, minus Natsu, who, once again, is nearly unconscious. Maybe this will teach him to stop being so eager to get into a fight. He will still indulge Natsu in a battle, since technically, he said that he couldn't start a fight during their talk with the king. Besides, he still wanted to see how Dragonite faired against him. However, he won't tell Natsu that, until he feels like it. A small smirk appeared on his face at the thought. What's the rush?

They walked through the door, and their attention immediately went to the far end of the room. There is a red carpet rolled out, leading all the way to a big, golden throne. Sitting on top the throne is a short, old man with wavy, white hair, and a mustache. He is wearing green overalls with vertical white stripes, underneath a red cape with golden tassels. He has a serious, yet friendly look in his eyes.

Standing on the left of him is a girl who seems around the same age as them. Much like Levy, she is petite. She has wavy, light-green hair reaching midway down her back, dark-green eyes, and fair skin. She is wearing a golden tiara with a red jewel in the center, a short, green dress with a flower-like pattern above her chest, and long gloves that reach up to her elbows, with frills near the ends. She is also wearing a large, silver necklace around her neck with a blue gem in it.

On the left of him is a man in a full suit of armor, minus a helmet. He has long, spiky black hair, and a beard reaching from the top of his head to his chin. His armor is much bigger than the other guards, meaning that he is probably of a high rank, which Lowell could frankly care less about.

The group of mages, plus the people and Pokémon from Earth stopped a few yards away from the king, and Lowell and Diantha kneeled in front of him, followed quickly by Greninja. Gardevoir simply curtsied, not wanting to be rude.

The members of Fairy Tail and the king seemed a little shocked by the display, but then they realized that they have never met royalty before, and they were trying to be polite. If Diantha is being honest with herself, she is a little nervous. She has spoken with the Magic Council, which she isn't a big fan of, but this is her first time meeting the king. She has a high standing in the Kalos Region, so she felt like it would reflect upon the region, if she didn't show manners.

After a moment of silence, the king merely chuckled, causing Lowell and Diantha to look at him in confusion, seeing a comforting smile on his face. They weren't expecting him to be so friendly, even though the group told Lowell the king wasn't so bad.

"There is no need to bow. Please, stand up." he said, which they did. They felt a little awkward after that, but they were relieved the king was so easygoing. "My name is Toma E. Fiore." he introduced, before bringing attention to the two beside him. "This is my daughter, Princess Hisui." he said, drawing attention to the beautiful girl beside him.

She smiled, and when she noticed Lucy, she gave her a small wave, which was quickly returned. They are happy to see each other, again. However, then she took a really good look at Lowell, and her face quickly flushed red. She turned her head and tried to fan herself off, but it wasn't working, very well.

Levy saw this, and she frowned. She didn't like the look that she was giving to Lowell. Fairy Tail may be in good terms with her, but that wouldn't stop her from teaching her a lesson if she tried to-

She blinked a couple of times, before she realized what was running through her head. She couldn't believe what had come over her. Was she really about to threaten the princess, all because she blushed after looking at Lowell? She shouldn't be surprised. He isn't drop-dead gorgeous, but by no means does that make him unattractive. She wouldn't be surprised if he had girls throwing themselves at him.

 _"_ _Am I…jealous?"_ she thought. She mentally shook her head. That can't be right. Why should she be jealous? She highly doubts that Lowell would fall in love with the princess. She is nice, but she saw the way he looked at her. It may not be love, but he definitely feels something for her, and Greninja confirmed it on the train to Crocus. However, the question that is on her mind the most:

 _"_ _What are my feelings towards him?"_ she thought.

Levy was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the king introducing the chief of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knights, Arcadios.

"My name is Diantha, and I am the champion of the Kalos Region. It is an honor to make your acquaintance" she greeted. "This is my partner, Gardevoir."

Gardevoir nodded her head towards the king, princess, and Arcadios. "It is a pleasure." she responded curtly.

"My name is Lowell Falkov. I'm no one special, really." he said, earning a slight slap on his shoulder from Diantha, which made him sigh and send her a small glare before continuing. "I am just a Pokémon Trainer who enjoys travelling with his family, AKA my team. Diantha and I, based on the last time we battled, are equal in terms of strength, but I don't care about any of that. I cherish my bonds more than any power in the world." he said, placing a hand on Greninja's shoulder. "Isn't that right, Greninja?" he asked.

Greninja nodded with a smile on his face. "Of course. Power means nothing if you don't have friends by your side, to share in the fun and laughter that you may experience."

Everyone in the room was moved. They could all see the history these two have with each other, and that made the king smile.

"I see. So, you two are Pokémon Trainers? I wasn't sure what to expect, really. The Magic Council explained to me the situation, and how we are no longer in Earthland. I also know of what Pokémon are, but I had no idea what you would be like." he explained.

Lowell just shrugged it off. That doesn't surprise him, much. According to what Levy told him, many people in Fairy Tail thought that trainers treated the Pokémon like slaves. That saddened him, but it is understandable, since they weren't familiar with how their world works.

"We understand, your majesty." Diantha responded with a kind and respectful smile. "I understand that everything that has happened is quite…unexpected, but we are hoping that this meeting will prove that we can all coexist, without fearing the other."

The king nodded in agreement. "Yes. I agree. Until we determine what sent us to your world, we are stuck here, which means that we need to do our best to cooperate with each other, and make an effort to understand each other." he said. However, a small frown than appeared on his face. "Unfortunately, many people are afraid of Pokémon, because they have been attacking, ever since we appeared in your world."

"That is because they are afraid and confused." Levy said, gaining the attention of the high-standing people in front of her.

"What do you mean?" Arcadios asked, genuinely confused. "Why would they be afraid, when they are the ones attacking us." he began to raise his voice a little, showing that he isn't the fondest of Pokémon, yet.

However, he hasn't let one piece of information sink in, yet.

"You are no longer in your world, Arcadios." Lowell stated, forgetting any form of formalities. "Fiore, as well as Ishgar, have become a part of Earth, which means that, where Ishgar resides now, was once home to many Pokémon." he explained, causing their eyes to widen. "What do you think happened to them, after they lost their homes?" he asked.

The princess' eyes are wide in shock. "They came to Fiore, to find new homes." she realized, to which Lowell nodded his head in confirmation.

Erza decided to step forward. "I don't agree with the actions the Pokémon have taken, but I do understand why they would feel afraid, confused, and most likely angry. We can't place all the blame on them."

Gray nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Besides, if we manage to make peace with them, then we won't have to keep fighting them. Even the smaller ones are pretty tough." he replied with a small scoff. He won't admit it, but he has gotten his butt handed to him by several Pokémon, and it may have made him just a little upset.

The king agrees with this. He can't blame them, when they are only trying to survive. "However, that doesn't change that they are causing problems for the citizens of Fiore. It may not be all their fault, but the people are scared, and they want action to be taken." the king explained.

Lowell stepped up. "Isn't that why we are here, to prove that they shouldn't be feared, and that you can coexist with them?" he asked.

Arcadios still doesn't seem to trust it, though. "Yes, but how can you do that?" he asked. "We may know that they can be trusted, at least the ones you have as companions, but how will we convince the people of Fiore? Very few people even know that we are in a different world, and most of those people are guards here in the capital, or people of high standing."

Lowell sighed and scratched his chin in thought. That is the real challenge. It will be hard to get them to warm up to Pokémon, especially after they have caused so much trouble. If they saw how they interacted with trainers, then they might not be so afraid. However, how would they do this?

After a brief moment of thought, his eyes widened. He has an idea.

He turned towards Diantha, a look of determination in his eyes. "I have an idea." he stated.

She smiled. She had a feeling he would. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

Lowell turned back to the king before he started speaking. "I've been told about the Grand Magic Games that took place in July. It was a tournament between the different mages guilds." he remembered. His tone is serious, as well as slightly hopeful.

The king nodded his head in confirmation, curious to see where this was going. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

"Since it was a tournament, it was broadcasted across Fiore." he said, earning another nod from the king. "What would happen, if we had another tournament, but this time, mages and Pokémon would work together in the games." he suggested with a hopeful smile on his face.

The mages of Fairy Tail agree with this, and as soon as Natsu heard the word "tournament", he jumped straight up, fire coating his hands.

"Alright! If there is another tournament, we have another chance of proving just how strong Fairy Tail is!" he announced proudly.

His sudden outburst shocked Lucy. They hadn't realized that he was conscious, yet. "N-natsu, c-calm down! They haven't even decided if it would happen, or not!" she said trying talking sense into him.

However, he didn't care. He was set on this tournament happening, because he wanted to prove he was stronger than the Pokémon. He was humiliated by them before, but not again.

"Come on! It is a great idea. Besides, if this does happen, then that means that we will be able to get Pokémon of our own." he said excitedly. He wants to prove himself, but he also wants to see more of what they can do.

"I wonder if there are more Pokémon that look like fish." Happy said to himself, drooling. Lucy and Levy sweat-dropped at this.

 _"_ _He can't eat them."_ they both thought, simultaneously.

Gray kept quiet, but he has a small smirk on his face. If there is another tournament, then he will use it as a chance to beat Rufus from Sabertooth, again. They may have made up, but he still doesn't want to lose to him, again.

Erza thinks it is a wonderful idea. If the people of Fiore see their mages bonding with Pokémon, then they might stop fearing them. It isn't a guarantee, but it has at least a chance at working.

On the inside, Levy is excited. Lowell already said that he would teach her to catch a Pokémon, but now she knows that it will end up happening. It means that she will get to spend more time with him, as well as make some new friends. It will also give her a chance to do some more research on Pokémon.

The king thought silently. He thinks it is a good idea, but he isn't sure how they would make it happen. Only trainers from Earth know how to catch a Pokémon, and they also don't have the technology required to catch them. They also know close to nothing about them, so how would they be able to train them?

"Your majesty, I think that it is worth a try." Diantha stated. "If we work together, then we can make it happen. We can have poke balls sent to Fiore, so that mages can buy them. Also, if it is made possible to travel between lands, then trainers from across Earth could travel here. They could teach the mages about Pokémon, and the mages could teach them about magic. It can benefit both sides." she explained.

The king furrowed his brows in deep thought. It could work, but it will take some time to set up. He needs more time to think about it.

"I like your idea, but I will need time to think about it. This is a big decision to make." the king explained.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding. "I understand, your majesty. However, I would like to ask one question." he said, gaining the king's attention.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What it be possible for me to remain in Fiore, for a while? I would like to investigate some more, to find out what made Fiore a part of Earth, and I have a feeling the cause is somewhere in the kingdom." he explained.

This made Levy frown. He wasn't going to come back to Fairy Tail with them. He was going to travel, most likely without taking a break. It makes her sad, knowing that she won't get to spend more time with him like she thought, but he does have a point. They need to find out what caused all this to happen, and their best chance of doing that is by looking.

The king smiled. "I don't see why not. I don't see the harm in it." he responded.

A small grin formed on Lowell's lips. "Thank you, your majesty."

* * *

Their conversation didn't last much longer than that. The king wanted to discuss this matter with the Magic Council, and Diantha needed to get back to Kalos. She is starring in a new movie, and they need her on the set, in less than a day.

They stopped outside the castle, where Diantha's helicopter hovered, waiting for her to climb in.

She stood next to the rope, smiling at Lowell. "I wish you luck with everything here. I will contact the professor, so that he knows you won't be returning to Kalos, for a while. I am sure that he will tell your mom, as well."

He let out a tired sigh. "I won't be surprised if I get a call from her, later." he said to himself, which Greninja chuckled at. They both know that she is going to freak out, once she learns what is going on.

She laughed. "She is your mom. Of course, she is going to worry about you. It is a part of her job." she said before climbing up the rope and into the helicopter. She gave the group a small wave before the door to the helicopter closed, and they flew away, leaving the mages, Lowell, and Greninja.

They watched as she flew away, making the people below watch in awe. Lowell and Greninja are a little upset that Diantha had to go, but he knows that she is a busy woman. However, he would've liked to talk to her, for a little longer. The last real conversation they had was a couple months ago, and it was because the professor needed her help with something.

They all stood in silence, until Lucy spoke up and broke it. "So, what are you going to do, now?" she asked.

He sighed and shook his head. "I need to start looking for clues, but I have no idea where to begin. It would take forever, if I were to just wander around aimlessly, not really sure what to look for."

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. We need somewhere to start. Once we have the first bit of information, then we should be able to find the source of all of this."

Levy wanted to ask them, but she was too embarrassed to do it. A blush formed on her face thinking about it. She doesn't want him to think she is desperate for him to stay, but it might benefit both of them. She would get to spend more time with him, and it may help him find information faster.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "Why don't you join Fairy Tail?" she suggested, hopefully.

He seemed a little surprised, to be honest. He wasn't expecting the offer, and he wasn't sure if he should take it. If he does, then there would be mages that could help him, but then he would also have to confront his feelings about Levy. Whenever he is around her, he can't help but blush, but he also feels happy. He gets a warm, yet comforting feeling in his chest. She is the first person to make him feel like this. He isn't sure if it is love or not, but if it is, he has no idea what to do about it. It could just make things more complicated.

Greninja saw the confliction in Lowell's eyes, and he sighed. He had a feeling that this would happen. He placed a hand on his trainer's shoulders, and he looked directly into his eyes. "Whatever you choose, know that I and the rest of the team will be there for you."

Lowell looked at him with a blank expression on his face, but his lips slowly curved into a small smile. He isn't sure why he is letting such a simple choice get him so tied up. He knows what he wants to do. He should just follow his heart, and hope for the best.

He looked at the others, his smile still on his face. "If it is alright, then I would love to be a part of Fairy Tail." he announced.

However, he wasn't expecting Levy to launch herself at him, wrapping her arms around him. He blushed at the sudden contact, but he wasn't complaining. It felt warm, and he liked it. It made him feel safe.

Levy doesn't know what compelled her to hug him, but she doesn't regret it. It feels so right, even though it is a little embarrassing. However, she was surprised when she felt him hug back. He let go of her, seconds later, but she could still feel his body pressed against her. The blush she has on her face threatens to remain for quite some time. She looked up, and she noticed that he was in a similar state. It made her happy that she wasn't the only one flustered by the hug. It means that he may have feelings for her, as well.

The other mages saw what happened, but they didn't say anything. They were all a bit surprised to see how close those two got within a few days, but they can tell that they care about each other, even though they probably won't admit it.

Lucy smiled at the sight. She suspected that she had feelings for Gajeel, but it is clear how she feels, now. If she wanted to ruin the moment, she would've teased them, but she knows that there will be time to do that, later.

After a moment passed, Erza finally spoke up. "We would have to ask Master Makarov, but I am sure that he won't mind." she said with a smile on her face.

Natsu appeared right next to Lowell, their shoulders bumping against each other. "Alright! This is going to be awesome! Welcome to the family!" he exclaimed.

This statement caught Lowell off-guard, and he looked at Natsu with widened eyes. "F-family?" he asked.

Levy nodded, still having a large blush on her face. "Yeah. Every member of Fairy Tail is considered family, no matter who they are or what they have done in the past. Family is there for each other, and while there are the occasional fights, what family doesn't fight? We all still care about each other, like real family would." she explained with a warm smile.

For some reason, that made Lowell happy. He has family of his own, and six members of his family go wherever he does. However, he won't get to see his mother or older sister, for quite some time. The thought of having even more family, despite how he doesn't like being crowded by people, makes him warm inside.

"That doesn't sound too bad." he said looking towards Greninja.

The ninja Pokémon nodded his head in agreement. He thinks that this may be good for a while. Making new friends could help him open up, a bit more. He is fine with Levy and the others, but he isn't sure how he will deal with an entire guild of people. Still, things are shaping up to make an interesting new journey, and it will include more than just Lowell and his team.

Levy grabbed his hand, and she began to run with him towards the train station. He didn't bother trying to escape her grip, not minding it much, anymore. Even though they are both blushing, they are smiling. They may not be too sure what to call their relationship right now, but they are just happy with being around the other.

As they ran towards the train station, they could hear the others running behind them, trying to catch up.

"I don't understand why you run, everywhere. It is why you are always out of breath." he said with a small chuckle in his voice.

She lightly hit him with her other hand, but she giggled anyways. "I can't believe that you actually agreed to join Fairy Tail." she said, to which he shrugged his shoulders.

"It could be beneficial. Besides, we did make a deal with each other." he said with a small smile, making her smile, as well. "I took a quick look at some of those books you got me, and I might need a little help understanding them. Although I think I know someone who can help with that."

Levy smiled. This is nice. She wasn't expecting to get along with him so well. Right now, her feelings are still confusing. She never believed in love at first sight, but she may have to change that, after meeting Lowell. Only time will tell, though.

As they run to the train station, they can't help but wonder what the future will bring. Will it be nice, or will it only bring confusion and pain? Either way, they won't be alone to face it. They have their friends and family to help them through it, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope that you all enjoyed! I should be updating again, sometime within the next week. I have a lot to do for college, but I am trying to balance college and fanfiction. If you enjoyed, please leave a review, because it is greatly appreciated. It fills my heart with joy to see what people have to say about my writing.**

 **Anyways, with that out the way, I hope that you all have a wonderful day!**


	5. Chapter 5

The entire ride to Magnolia was…interesting. Lowell and Greninja found out that Dragon Slayer's like Natsu have Motion Sickness. Most people would laugh, but they just went along with it. If it was something that came with their power, then there is nothing that could be done about it. There was no reason to make fun of it.

However, they were a little surprised when Erza punched Natsu hard in the gut, knocking him out. He slept through most of the ride on Erza's lap. When asked why she did it, she responded with "This way he isn't affected by his motion sickness." He understood that. He was being annoying, like always, but there was no real reason to knock him out, other than that. However, he expected more of an answer than that.

It was a little embarrassing for Lowell, because he sat on the train with Greninja on his right, and Levy on his left. Gray was sitting on the left of Lucy, which made Levy scoot closer to him. It was uncontrollable, and it made them blush furiously. Lucy noticed the blush on her friend's face, which she brought up, but she panickily responded by saying she was just hot, stuttering as she did so.

They both enjoy being around each other, but they can't but feel…different when they are around each other. However, when they speak to each other, they both have happy smiles on their faces. Greninja hasn't seen him this happy in quite some time, and the same could be said about Levy.

Once he got over the initial awkwardness, he began to engage in small talk with the others. It was interesting to hear about their different adventures and all the people they have encountered. They have fought against so many threats, and they have seen so many different kinds of powerful magic.

The more Lowell hears about magic, the more interested he becomes. He is really hoping that he is capable of using magic, because it would be a new experience for him. Although another part of it is that Levy was going to teach him, but he won't admit that, to anyone.

So far, he has taken a liking to Everyone, except for Natsu. He isn't a bad person, but he is a tad too annoying for his taste. He will still socialize with him, but the longer a conversation lasts with him, the more he wants to knock him on the head. He doesn't understand how Lucy can stand being partners with him. Although he has a feeling there are deeper feelings than just that, but he doesn't really know anything, so he pushed that brief thought to the side.

Gray is a pretty chill guy, no pun intended. The only time he can be irritating is when he is fighting with Natsu. Other than that, he is laid-back. Also, he has taken a liking to his Ice Maker Magic. He has a feeling that if his sister was here to see it, she would beg Gray to join her in a performance. It is such a beautiful magic.

Out of everyone, aside from Levy, he is the most interested in Erza. She has been a lot more silent than the others, keeping her eyes closed for much of the time. She was a peacemaker in the group, which is much-needed, and she is very strict on rules. He hasn't really learned much else about her, other than that she uses Re-quip Magic. He was amazed when she first summoned a sword out of thin air.

Overall, he has gotten used to this group of people, but he isn't sure how things will go, once he arrives at the guild hall. Will they crowd him and ask a bunch of questions? Will they hold resentment towards his Pokémon because of everything that has happened? Will they even let him join? These thoughts ran through his head for most of the trip. He tried to keep a reassuring smile on his face, but it was forced most of the time. He only truly smiled when Levy tried to talk to him. He doesn't understand what about her makes him feel this way, but he doesn't care. It feels nice to have these sorts of feelings, even if he doesn't fully understand them.

* * *

When they finally arrived at the train station in Magnolia, Lowell and Greninja were amazed by the beauty of the small town. It is nowhere near the size of Crocus, and there aren't as many people, which Lowell appreciates. It is still a popular tourist attraction, though, so there are still a lot of people out in the streets. Still, it has a quaint feel to it. It isn't like Vaniville Town, but he feels like he could get used to being here.

They walked through the streets of Magnolia, heading towards a large building on the other side of town. It is the Fairy Tail guild hall. He is somewhat surprised that he can already see it, but considering that Fairy Tail is known as the strongest guild in Fiore, it would only make sense that they have a big guild hall. They must have a lot of members, which is still something Lowell dreads to see.

As they walk, Natsu and Gray are back to their regular quarrels. Nobody really feels like dealing with them at the moment, and since they haven't started throwing punches yet, they don't see any point in stopping them. However, if things get out of hand, then Lowell, Greninja, or Erza will step in to stop them.

Levy is walking right beside him, with a content smile on her face. "So, Lowell, are you excited?" asked.

Lowell sees how happy she is, and he doesn't want to ruin that, so he decided to just play along. He put up a fake grin on his face. "Yeah. Although, hopefully I will be allowed to join. After all, we aren't even sure if it is possible for me to use magic." he said, hoping that the others wouldn't see behind his fake grin.

Erza smiled at him before shaking her head. "You don't have you worry about that. I doubt the master would turn you away, simply because of that. Also, I am sure that he will agree that it only makes sense. Fiore is pretty big for one person to travel by themselves, especially when they have no idea where to begin." she explained.

Lucy nodded her head in agreement, with a similar smile on her face. She has found it interesting to talk to him about his world, and he seems like a nice guy. She would love it if he got accepted into Fairy Tail. "Erza is right. Master would never do such a thing. In fact, I have a feeling that he is going to accept you without hesitation. If more Pokémon Trainers come to Fiore, then he would want to be the first guild master to have one join his guild." she explained, sweat-dropping near the end.

A small giggle was heard from Levy. "That wouldn't surprise me! He can be so childish, sometimes." she replied.

This made Greninja huff. "Please tell me that he is nothing like those two." he said pointing a thumb at the two mages arguing behind them.

Everyone deadpanned as they watched Natsu and Gray trade insults with each other. The funny thing is, they have probably used every one of these insults time and time again, and yet they never cease to piss the other one off.

Erza sighed and shook her head. "Of course, not. Master Makarov would never stoop down to such levels. He may not care much for the Magic Council, and he can be silly at times, but he is a kind-hearted, responsible man."

Lowell nodded in understanding. At least the master of the guild isn't as irresponsible as these two. If he was, he isn't sure if he would want to join. It would be too big of a headache.

After that, the group stayed relatively quiet, minus Natsu and Gray's arguing. It was about to develop into a full-blown fight, but Erza stopped them before it could progress any further. Of course, this also resulted in both having big bumps on their heads where Erza hit them with her metal gloves.

Minutes later, they finally arrived in front of the guild hall. Lowell looked up, and he saw the Fairy Tail emblem at the top of the building. Lots of shouting could be heard from the inside, and the doors are slightly open, allowing them to see that a fight has taken place.

Lowell and Greninja exchanged a look. They both knew that this was going to be interesting.

Just as they were about to walk through the doors, Natsu ran up to them and kicked them open.

"We're back, everybody!" he yelled, a little too loudly.

A couple people acknowledged their presence, but most of the guild is currently caught up in the middle of an all-out brawl. However, Mirajane, wearing a black dress, stepped out from behind the bar and greeted them. She has a beautifully warm smile on her face.

"Welcome back!" she greeted. "How was the job?" she asked Natsu.

He smirked. "We showed those bandits not to mess with Fairy Tail!" he announced proudly.

However, Lucy and Erza both have frowns on their faces. "It would've been better if you hadn't destroyed part of Crocus in the process." Erza responded with a glare towards the pink-haired Dragon Slayer.

Lucy nodded in agreement, and it looked like she was about to tear up. "Yeah. We had to use most of the Jewel we earned to pay for the damages you and Gray caused." she said sadly.

Gray didn't like that he was getting blamed. "What are you talking about?!" he asked angrily. "It was all that pyro's fault!" he yelled.

Of course, Natsu wasn't going to take that from Gray, so he got up in his face and started yelling at him, while he set his fists on fire. "You wanna fight, ice princess?!" he asked angrily.

The two were about to fight, but Greninja stopped them, this time, making them both fall to the ground. He let out a small scoff.

"You would think they would've learned by now." he responded, shaking his head.

Lowell nodded in agreement, with a small frown on his face. "Yeah. I can't even count how many times we've had to knock them out in the past two days."

Mirajane looked at the two new faces, and she was shocked when she saw Greninja. She has seen a Pokémon before, but she never got to hear one speak, before. However, this did not wipe the smile off her face, because she also noticed that Levy was standing there.

"Oh. You must be the person sent by Diantha." she replied, to which Lowell nodded his head. Mirajane then looked towards Levy. "Good job, Levy. Did everything go alright?"

Levy nodded her head. "Mhmm." she hummed. "It went pretty well, aside from when we got attacked by a massive serpent." she continued.

This made Mira gasp. "Are you all alright?" she asked slightly concerned.

Lowell chuckled and nodded his head once more. "Don't worry. That was days ago, and it was handled rather well. The Gyarados was only mad about losing its home. It has calmed down, now." he explained.

She looked confused for a moment, before she realized that Gyarados was probably some sort of Pokémon, and she then nodded her head in understanding. "Well, my name is Mirajane Strauss, but you can just call me Mira." she greeted happily.

"I'm Lowell, and this is my partner, Greninja." Lowell said with a small smile.

Greninja slightly bowed his head in a greeting. "It is nice to meet you." he said.

Erza took a step forward toward Mira. "Mira, do you know if the master is here?" she asked, to which Mira nodded her head in response.

"He is in his office." she responded. She then tilted her head with a look of confusion on her face. "Why? Is something wrong?" she asked.

Lowell shook his head. "No. Nothing is wrong. However, I am interested in joining Fairy Tail, and I was informed that I needed the approval of the master." he explained.

This made Mira smile excitedly and put her hands together. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I will go and get the master, now. You can take a seat at the bar, for now." she told him before going upstairs to see the master.

Lowell sat down on a stool next to the bar, with Levy and Lowell taking a seat on either side of him. Lucy sat down on the other side of Levy, with Happy sitting down on the bar counter. Erza set Natsu and Gray carefully on the ground before going to scold some of the other members, who were still fighting.

"So, what do you think, so far?" Levy asked Lowell.

He watched the fight going on, and he pinched the bridge of his nose when he saw a large man with white hair throw a guy into a nearby table. The table was completely destroyed, and pieces of shattered wood flew everywhere, some pieces nearly missing him and Greninja.

"Honestly, they seem a little too hectic." he answered. You can tell how rowdy they are, because they were all too engrossed in the all-out brawl to even notice them walk through the doors. The only reason Mira noticed them was because she had enough common sense not to join in on the brawl.

She let out a sheepish laugh while rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah. You'll get used to them, after a while." she responded.

Lucy nodded her head in agreement, while Happy took a bite out of a fish. Where did he even get that from?

Lowell just let out a tired groan before resting his head on the counter of the bar. It may not be the best idea, considering that someone could get thrown this way any second, but he doesn't really care. He has never been one for crowds, so he normally just keeps quiet while everyone goes about their own business. They don't bother him, and he doesn't bother them.

Levy looked down at Lowell, and she remembered what Greninja told her on the train. He isn't very social. In hindsight, she should've realized that he would feel uncomfortable in this kind of setting, but she hadn't really thought about it before. She also realized that he was probably just trying not to upset her, when she asked him if he was excited, or not. This makes her feel slightly bad.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

He lifted his head slightly, turning to face her. He sees the frown that adorns her face, and he sighed. "Don't worry. I'm fine. I just…I don't like being around a lot of people. We only stopped in towns or cities when we needed to buy something, so I am used to spending time away from other people." he explained.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Well, I am sure you will get used to it, soon. It is a new experience, but I am sure that you will start to warm up to the others, given some time."

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. This will be good for all of us, I am sure." he told his trainer. While some members of their team can be a bit hectic at times, they also prefer to be in smaller groups, rather be in a crowd.

Lowell was about to respond, but he was interrupted by a loud shout. He picked his head up, and he noticed the short man standing at the top of the staircase. Mira is right next to him, so he is assuming that he is the master.

"Will you brats quiet down?! It is too early in the morning for these petty squabbles!" he yelled. Everyone instantly stopped what they were doing, as they watched their master walk down the stairs and towards the bar.

He took a seat on the bar and Mira quickly handed him a large mug filled with what Lowell assumes to be booze. After taking a quick sip, he looked to Lowell and Greninja, and he gave them a warm smile.

"My name is Makarov Dreyar. I am the current master of Fairy Tail. It is a pleasure to meet you." he greeted.

Lowell and Greninja both nodded their heads. "Likewise." they responded simultaneously.

"I want you to know that I have no problem with you joining Fairy Tail." he said happily. "However, I would like to know why you wish to join. Don't you have to get back home?"

Lowell sighed before responding. "Not really, no. I have a job as an assistant for a professor in the Kalos Region, but Diantha is going to tell him I am staying in Fiore for a little longer. There are things that I need to do, while I am still here." he explained.

Master Makarov narrowed his eyes and raised a brow at him. "What would that be?" he asked.

"We decided to investigate why Fiore merged with Earth. We have a better chance of doing that, if we stay in Fiore. Also, we aren't familiar with the layout of the kingdom, so we thought that if we joined a guild, then it would help us find leads much quicker." Greninja explained.

Makarov nodded his head in understanding. "Very well, then. If you need help with your search, don't hesitate to ask one of the other members to help. This is something that affects all of us, so I am sure they would be more than willing to lend a hand." he responded with a smile. He then turned toward Mira. "Can you please get the stamp?" he asked.

"Of course." she said, nodding her head before going behind the bar. Not even a minute later, she came back out with a stamp in her hands. "Where would you like to have the guild's insignia, and in what color?" she asked.

Lowell decided to get his on the back of his right hand, in purple. Greninja also wanted to get the guild mark, and he chose to get it on the back of his left hand, in white.

After receiving their guild marks, Lowell and Greninja were surrounded by many of the mages, making them feel squished. They were asked a storm of questions about Pokémon and about their world, and he learned almost every one of their names. After nearly twenty minutes of this, he had met almost every member that is currently in the guild hall, and his head is spinning. Greninja is a little irritated, but he isn't as bad as Lowell.

Levy noticed this, so she quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the group of mages, allowing him to sit back down at a table far away from the others. He let out a huff as he sat down, looking up at the ceiling.

"Finally. I was about to go crazy, over there." he commented.

Greninja nodded his head. "I could've stopped them, but then it probably started another brawl." he assumed.

Levy let out a heavy sigh of agreement. She can't deny that. She grew up with these people, so she knows how loud and crazy they can get, but she loves them all. "They aren't so bad, once you get to know them." she insisted.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure." he replied curtly. There were a few members that he liked. He enjoyed talking to Juvia, up until she realized Gray had woken up, and then she had started to swoon over him, which swiftly ended their conversation. Mira's younger sister, Lisanna, was nice, as well. She also appears to be the younger sister figure to the guild, and everyone loves her. It almost makes him wish that he had a younger sister, of his own.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when a young girl with long, blue hair walked towards him followed by a white cat that reminds him a bit of Happy.

When she was right next to them, she looked up at him, slightly nervous. "M-my name is W-Wendy Marvell. I-It is nice t-to meet you." she greeted quietly.

The white cat next to her shook her head. "Honestly, child. You need to speak up if you want him to hear you." she scolded. She then introduced herself. "My name is Carla. I apologize for Wendy's timid nature."

However, Lowell just grinned, amused about the whole situation. "Don't worry about it. I am not exactly the most social person either, so I understand. It is nice to meet the both of you."

For the next several minutes, he was just talking to Levy, Wendy, and Carla, answering any questions that the girls may have. He must admit, he has taken a shine to Wendy, because he reminds her a bit of him a couple years ago. He also finds it quite amusing that Carla treats Wendy like a mother would her child. She scolds her, but she is gentle with her.

From a distance, a tall man with orange hair, and a larger man with black hair watched Levy laugh while talking to Lowell and the others. They've seen how close she seems to be to him, even though it has only been a couple days since they met.

"Why doesn't Levy act like that with us?" Droy asked to Jet.

Jet shook his head. "Just give it a rest, man. It's not a big deal." Jet responded.

Meanwhile, Gajeel is sitting in a windowsill, snacking on a piece of iron. A small, black cat is sitting by his side. He looked down on Lowell and Greninja, with a small smirk forming on his face.

"They don't seem that tough. Maybe I should go down there and show them who is stronger." he said to Lilly.

Lilly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why you should. What would be the point?"

However, Gajeel didn't listen, and he jumped down from where he was sitting. Lilly let out a tired sigh before following behind the Iron Dragon Slayer. They walked up to Lowell and the others, and he was greeted by Levy with a small smile.

"Oh, hey, Gajeel. I don't think that you have spoken to Lowell, yet." she said.

However, he didn't respond. He just kept looking at Lowell with the same smirk on his face. "You don't seem all that tough. I was also expecting a lot more than a toad on two legs."

Greninja didn't take well to this comment. He stood up, and he threw a quick punch at Gajeel. Gajeel managed to block it, but he still slid back pretty far. He looked back at Greninja and snickered.

"I'm surprised. You are a lot stronger than you look." he said, running towards them. Still, you are no match for m-!" he was interrupted by Natsu punching him with a flaming fist.

"If anyone is going to fight them, it is going to be me!" he exclaimed. "After all, they do still owe me a fight." he said with a grin.

Lowell sighed. "I was hoping he would forget about that." he said to himself.

Suddenly, Natsu was hit in the face by a metal pole, which turns out to be Gajeel's arm. His arm turned back to normal, and he smirked at the pink-haired Dragon Slayer.

Before anyone could say anything, they started fighting, and everyone went back to what they were doing beforehand. Lowell is grateful that Gajeel picked a fight with Natsu. He doesn't mind battling Natsu, because he would like to test out a couple of theories, but he would like to get settled in Magnolia, before he does anything else. He was just talking to Levy and Wendy about that.

"Well, there is Fairy Hills, but it is girls only." Levy replied, to which Lowell just shrugged his shoulders.

"Honestly, I will probably just live in the forest near Magnolia. It won't be much different than when we travelled through Kalos, except we may build a small house." he explained. He then turned to Greninja. "What do you think, pal?"

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. It sounds like the best option. "It would be less crowded, and it also gives us enough space for the others to leave their poke balls. It has been a couple days since the others have come out."

Lowell nodded his head. It has been a couple days, and he feels a little bad for not letting them come out. They could've come out on their own, but they have been on and off the train, so they just stayed in their poke balls. Although now that they are in the guild, it seems like the perfect time to let them meet the others.

"I would like to meet the rest of your Pokémon, Lowell. You said that you would send them out once we were done talking with the king." Levy said.

Wendy nodded her head. "Yeah. I am interested in meeting them, as well." she stated.

Carla just shrugged her shoulders. "We may as well meet them. How else would we learn to get along?" she responded.

Lowell stood up and took out five poke balls. "Alright, then. Everyone, it's time to come out!" he announced as he threw the poke balls.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the bright blue right on the other side of the room, and their eyes widened in surprised when they saw the new arrivals.

Charizard came out of his poke ball with a loud roar, instantly catching the attention of the Dragon Slayers.

"Woah! Is that a dragon?!" Natsu asked in surprise.

Lowell shook his head. "Nope. Charizard is a Fire/Flying-Type. Dragonite is a Dragon-Type." Lowell explained.

Suddenly, Charizard was punched in the face by an orange fist, courtesy of Dragonite. Charizard stumbled back a couple inches, but he stood his ground and glared at Dragonite, who has a smug look on her face.

Charizard let out a low growl. "That was a cheap shot, and you know it!" he exclaimed in a menacing voice that sent shivers down spines.

Dragonite flapped her wings forward, generating a large gust of wind that sent several mages flying backwards, but Charizard managed to stay put. A smirk formed on her face. "What are you going to do about it, flame breath?" she asked smugly.

Charizard was about to unleash a Flamethrower on her, but he was stopped in his tracks by Lowell's Gardevoir, who used Psychic to make both Charizard and Dragonite float in midair. However, unlike Diantha's Gardevoir, Lowell's is shiny, which makes her body and hair blue, instead of green.

She let out a small sigh of disappointment. "You two only just got out of your poke balls, and you are already causing trouble. I will have to deal out your punishments later." she said with a cold look that made Charizard and Dragonite pale in fright. This isn't the first time Gardevoir has threatened to punish them, and they do not want to go through it again. "So, well you both behave, or do I have to punish you now?" she asked.

"W-we'll behave! I promise!" Charizard exclaimed.

Dragonite nodded her head in agreement. "Y-yeah! Please, don't punish us." she pleaded.

Gardevoir looked at both of them for a moment before sighing and letting them both down using Psychic. The two Pokémon glared at each other, but then they both huffed and turned their heads away, before they got into any more trouble.

Levy laughed at the scene unfolding in front of her. "You weren't kidding when you said that they were like Natsu and Gray." she commented.

Greninja shook his head at the display. "They never learn, either. In a sense, Gardevoir is like Erza, a peacekeeper. However, I think that Gardevoir is scarier than Erza ever could be. Although she is only like that when those two are arguing. Other than that, she is a very calm and kind-hearted Pokémon." he explained.

"At least you aren't affected by her psychic-type moves." a voice said from behind him. He turned around to see a purple bat with four wings floating above them.

Greninja looked up at his bat friend and smiled. "Crobat, you know that I wasn't always immune to them. I wasn't immune until I was fully evolved, which, if you remember, took quite some time." he responded.

The bat just shrugged her wings and looked towards Wendy and Levy. Levy was watching her with intrigue, while Wendy was hiding slightly behind her. Crobat flew down to them, and she landed on Levy's outstretched arm.

"You must be a really good flier with all those wings." Levy commented.

Crobat nodded her head. "You better believe it. I may not be as strong as the others, but speed is my specialty." she replied with a sly smirk.

Greninja scoffed. "Please. If anything, the two of us are tied, when it comes to speed." he responded.

He received a small glare from the bat Pokémon. "How about we have a race later, like the old days?" she suggested.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders. "If you want to, fine. I won't turn down the challenge."

Wendy giggled a bit at their little rivalry, and she began to feel better around the new Pokémon. They are a little odd, but so are the others in the guild. With time, they will feel like part of the family.

While they were all talking, Stunfisk decided to hop onto the table and say hello to Levy. She still finds Stunfisk to be a little weird, but she remembers fighting alongside him at Hargeon Port. She smiled down at him.

"Oh, hey, Stunfisk." she said patting him lightly on the head. He smiled up at her, enjoying having his head petted.

"So, how do you like our strange family?" he asked with a chuckle.

She giggled and looked at the others with a warm smile on her face. Natsu and Charizard just met, and Charizard is having a hard time of keeping his flaming tail away from Natsu's hungry mouth. Gardevoir has now made her way towards Erza, and they are both having a thoughtful conversation about how they must deal with the childish members of their respective teams. Dragonite is talking to Mira and the Master, while avoiding the glare sent her way by Gajeel. Meanwhile, Crobat and Greninja have moved outside the guild hall, followed by Jet. Apparently, he heard their idea of having a race, and he wanted to see how he stood against the Pokémon. "Honestly, I feel like you are already a part of our family." she responded happily.

Lowell and Stunfisk both agreed to that. Though he may not be one for crowds, he is happy that the mages are getting used to their company, and he is also happy that his Pokémon are getting along well enough with them.

"This definitely went better than I expected." Lowell commented to no one in particular.

Carla tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders before replying. "We don't hang around other people, very often. Also, with how Charizard and Dragonite act around each other, you could only guess what I feared may have happened if they met Natsu." he explained.

Wendy nodded her head in understanding with a small, yet still shy smile on her face. She has begun to warm up to them, but that doesn't change that she is still a very shy person. "Yeah, I know what you mean. They are very similar to Natsu and Gray." she responded. She then scrunched up her brows in thought. "Although I am interested to see who would win in a fight, between Natsu and Dragonite." she said. Truthfully, she wouldn't mind fighting Dragonite either, mainly because she gave off an aura that kind of reminded her of the sky.

Carla noticed the look on Wendy's face, and she smiled. "Come now, child. I am sure that you would like to face her, as well. You are a Dragon Slayer, as well, so if she is like a dragon, then I am sure your magic would affect her." she explained.

That bit of information made Lowell's eyes slightly widen in shock. He knew that there were a couple of Dragon Slayers in the guild, but he never would've expected such a young child to be one.

"You're a Dragon Slayer?" he asked, to which she nodded her head. He grinned and gave a small chuckle. "Wow. Magic is definitely something, alright. I would never have imagined that such a young child would have such a powerful and rare type of magic. You must be pretty strong, then."

She blushed a bit at the compliment. "W-well, I am not t-that strong. A-as the Sky Dragon Slayer, I am able to enchant, as well as heal others. I am not much of a fighter, but I am still working to get better." she explained, slowly becoming more confident.

Lowell's grin widened to a smile, and he nodded his head at her. One cannot improve themselves without working hard, and trying to do better. He can tell that, if she continues the way she is going, then she will become a very powerful mage, someday. He doesn't have to be a mage himself to notice that. Much like with his Pokémon, he sees potential in her, and he believes that she will one day live up to that full potential.

* * *

For the next several hours, Lowell and his Pokémon stayed at the guild hall and got to know the other members a little better. Of course, Lowell spent most of his time in the company of Levy, Wendy, and Carla. Occasionally, he would speak with Lucy, Mira, or Erza, but he was content with the small group he was with. He also took a nap with his head on top the table, for nearly two hours.

When it was close to nighttime, Levy lightly tapped him on the shoulder, making him slowly lift his head up and look at her with tired eyes. For a moment, he forgot that he was in the guild hall, until he realized that it was Levy who woke him up. He gave her a small grin and let out a tired yawn.

"How long have I been out?" he asked groggily.

"Almost two hours." she responded immediately. "Most of the members have already went home, and Mira was about to close up for the night, so I woke you up." she explained.

He nodded his head in understanding before standing up and stretching his back, resulting in a couple of pops that made him sigh in relief. It wasn't the most comfortable nap he has ever taken, but it was definitely better than sleeping on the floor.

"You could've woken me up sooner." he said as they walked towards the doors. "You didn't need to stay here this late, because of me."

She blushed slightly and shook her head. "I-it was no problem. You just looked so peaceful while you were asleep, that I didn't want to wake you."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "That is more than likely because the only time I am not thinking is when I am asleep, and I can actually relax." he responded.

On most days, his mind is moving one-hundred miles per second. He is always either reflecting on the day's training, gathering data for the professor, or thinking back on his journey. He learned a lot during his travels, and he wants to continue to use what he learned to better himself, as well as his Pokémon.

His Pokémon are already gathered in front of the guild's doors, ready to go. Surprisingly, Charizard and Dragonite are standing next to each other without getting into a fight, although that is probably because Gardevoir is keeping a close eye on them. Crobat is floating patiently above Greninja, who is watching as Stunfisk keeps trying to flip back onto his stomach. Somehow, he always manages to get them to laugh, even in the most serious situations.

"So, how did you enjoy meeting the others in the guild?" he asked.

Charizard let out an angry growl. "Natsu kept trying to eat my tail. He is almost annoying as Dragonite." he replied.

Dragonite sent him a small glare, but he didn't say anything in fear of Gardevoir punishing him. "They weren't so bad." she responded.

"I quite like Erza. She and I share some similarities." Gardevoir said quietly.

"That Jet guy was pretty fast. He managed to keep up with us, for the first couple minutes of our race." she said.

Greninja nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind racing him again, sometime."

Levy giggled a bit. "I'll make sure to let him know." she said, helping Stunfisk back onto his stomach. He smiled up at her gratefully.

Lowell had everyone return to their poke balls, accept for Greninja. The three of them then made their way out of the guild hall, and they walked to Fairy Hills, together. Lowell and Greninja had to stop at a certain point, since they weren't allowed to enter the female dormitory, but he wanted to at least make sure that Levy got there safely.

"So, what are you going to do tomorrow?" Levy asked him.

Lowell scratched his chin in thought. He hasn't really thought about that. Now that he is in Fairy Tail, what is his next course of action? He should probably start looking for information, but he still doesn't know much about Magnolia.

"Maybe I will walk around Magnolia for a bit to learn the layout, and then I might go on a job." he answered.

Greninja gave his trainer a look of confusion. "Already? I know that we need to find information, but there isn't any rush." he stated.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Might as well. We won't learn anything by doing nothing. I think it would be better to start looking now, because we aren't sure how long it will take to find answers." he responded, completely serious.

Suddenly, Levy's eyes lit up a bit. "Hey, why don't you go on a job with me?" she suggested hopefully.

Lowell turned to her and raised a brow. "Really? You just finished a job. Are you sure that you would want to go on another one so soon?" he asked.

She nodded her head and smiled a bit. "Sure, why not? Besides, when we have spare time, we can also start working on your magic. We need to find out if you can even use magic, first. After that, things will be much easier." she explained.

Lowell was silent for a moment. When he thinks about it, it doesn't sound like a bad idea. Also, he would like to spend more time with Levy. Maybe if he does, then he will understand his feeling for her, a bit more.

After a moment of thought, he nodded his head and grinned. "Alright, then. I guess that we will meet at the guild hall, tomorrow."

She nodded her head. "Sounds like a plan."

They both said goodnight to each other, before Lowell and Greninja went to leave. If they are going to sleep tonight, then they need to find a decent spot in the forest. Although, neither of them are complaining about that. They actually enjoy sleeping in the forest, because it reminds them of the times they spent sleeping under the stars together.

"You mentioned building a cabin." Greninja said as they walked through the streets of Magnolia. It is now dark out, so not many people are still out and about.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yeah. I have a feeling that we will be in Magnolia for quite some time, so we may as well make a home for ourselves. I guess we could rent an apartment, but there wouldn't be as much room for the others to roam around as they want. Plus, it will be much quieter, and we won't be disturbed by other people."

Greninja nodded in agreement. That sounds much better than living in an apartment. Vaniville Town wasn't that bad, but that was because it was a small town. Magnolia is much bigger, as well as much more crowded.

"I agree, but let's worry about that some other time. For now, let's just find somewhere to sleep." Greninja stated.

* * *

In Fairy Hills, Levy just arrived in her room. She closed the door behind her, before maneuvering around her many bookshelves to make it to her bed. She fell back on her bed with a sigh, covering her face with her arm. She enjoyed meeting Lowell and Greninja, but she is also happy to finally be back in her own bed, instead of one at a hotel.

Now that she is finally alone, she has some time to think about the past week's events. She can still hardly believe everything she has learned about the Pokémon, but the more she learns, the more she wants to know what it feels like to be a trainer. By the way she heard Lowell speak to the king, the bond that a trainer shares with their Pokémon is incredible. She wants to have something like that, as well.

She knows that Lowell will stick to his word and help her become a trainer, but she can't help but hope that it happens soon. Although, thinking about the spiky-haired trainer made her get a strange feeling in her chest. It is warm, yet so confusing. She feels this way whenever she is around him, talks to him, or even thinks about him, and she can't figure out why. Why does he bring out all these confusing emotions in her?

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door, causing her to groan. She stood up from her bed, though slightly hesitant, and answered her door. Normally, she would be excited to see Lucy, but the sly smile on the girl's face makes her feel otherwise.

"Um, Lucy, what are you doing here so late?" she asked. She honestly doesn't want to get involved in whatever Lucy is up to. She just wants to sleep.

"What I want to know is why you got back here so late. You would think that after being away for nearly a week, that you would be asleep already." she said with a knowing smile.

Levy just shrugged her shoulders. "Well, Lowell was still asleep, and I didn't want to leave him like that, so I woke him up before Mira closed everything for the night." she explained.

However, this only made the blonde-haired mage smirk. "Oh, really? Tell me, what did the two of you get up to, before we met up in Crocus?" she asked mischievously.

At first, Levy didn't understand what was going on. However, when it finally sunk in, her face turned a darker red than Erza's hair.

"W-what are you talking about?! Nothing happened!" she exclaimed somewhat embarrassedly.

Her friend's blush made her even more determined to get answers from her. "Well, with that blush, I am assuming that you wanted something to happen." she replied.

Before Levy could even say anything, she was being pushed inside her room by the blonde-haired girl. "Don't worry. There is enough time to tell me EVERYTHING." she said with a mischievous smile.

Levy tried to protest, but her pleas fell onto deaf ears. Lucy closed the door behind them, and she wasn't going to let them open until she knew what her relationship was with Lowell. She didn't want to ask with the others around, but now that they are alone, this is her perfect chance to ask.

* * *

In the forest near Magnolia, Lowell and Greninja found a small opening in the trees that let them lie underneath the stars. They can also see the moon shining brightly. The ground is soft, but it isn't muddy, so they don't have to worry about getting too dirty. There are also flowers spread across the grass, giving the clearing a little more life.

Lowell's Pokémon came out their poke balls, and each of them got comfortable next to each other. Lowell and Greninja are sitting with their backs against a tree, giving them a view of the rest of the clearing. Stunfisk is laying in Lowell's lap, Gardevoir is sitting against a tree a couple feet away from them, and Dragonite and Charizard are both, surprisingly, huddled up against each other. They always argue and fight, but that doesn't change the fact that they are still friends.

Looking at his family around him, Lowell can't help but smile. He has missed spending the night like this. Ever since he went back home, he stayed in the house with his mother, and Greninja slept next to the foot of his bed. However, they still left the house every couple nights so that they could sleep underneath the stars. It is relaxing to them, and it reminds them so much of their travels. None of them would trade those times for the world.

Lowell looked up at the starry sky, thinking about everything that has happened since he arrived in Fiore. To be honest, he didn't know what to expect, but he has been pleasantly surprised. While some of the mages, mainly Natsu, annoy him, the others don't seem to bad, and he has enjoyed talking to Levy. He hasn't talked this much to another person in a long time. He is a little shocked at how fast they became friends. However, he feels like there is something more to their relationship than just that. He just needs time to figure out what exactly that is. It could be love, but he doesn't want to accept that so quickly. He has never been in a relationship like that before, so for all he knows, he would just ruin the friendship he already has with her, which would upset him greatly. Until he knows for sure what his feelings for her are, and if she feels the same way, he is fine with just being friends.

Greninja noticed his friend deep in thought. "We definitely have our work cut out for us, don't we, pal?" he asked.

Lowell lazily turned his head to face his friend with a tired grin on his face. "You've got that right." he replied before looking back up at the moon. "Although, for once, I won't complain about that, because I have a feeling that things will work out in the end."


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Lowell woke up with a crick in his back. He has always preferred sleeping outdoors, but that doesn't mean that it is necessarily comfortable. He would normally have a tent with him, but he didn't think to pack any of that when he first learned he was coming to Fiore. Now, however, he is slightly regretting that, though he did enjoy watching the stars last night.

He placed a hand on the tree to help push himself up, and he straightened his back out, causing a loud popping sound. He sighed in relief before stretching the rest of his body. He looked around his surroundings, and he noticed that a couple of Pidgey and Fletchling are perched in the trees. They caught his stare, and they bid him a quick good morning. He greeted them back, still finding it a little odd that he can converse with Pokémon, now. It will definitely take some getting used to.

He grabbed his bag and pulled out a change of clothing. It isn't any different than what he is wearing, though. He took a couple minutes to look for a lake or a stream, until he finally found a small lake, not too far from the clearing he and his Pokémon slept in. He ran into Pokémon along the way, but he was surprised to see none swimming in the lake, at least not where he is.

Lowell quickly stripped and dove into the lake. The feeling of the cool water on his skin filled him with relief. He went for a small swim before cleaning himself and putting on his fresh set of clothing. He didn't have anything to dry himself with, so his clothes and hair are quite wet, but he doesn't mind. In fact, he has a small smile on his face. While they were traveling, they didn't have access to running water, so he had to make do with a lake or stream. He enjoys swimming, which is something he doesn't do very often, anymore.

On the walk back to the clearing, he took his time. There isn't really much of a rush. He and Levy had agreed to do a job today, but they never specified a time, and she already knew he would be taking some time to explore the town. By the location of the sun in the sky, he can tell that it around nine in the morning. He will take some time to eat breakfast with his Pokémon, and then he will explore the town for about two hours. That should be enough time to see most of it. By the time he is done doing that, it should be close to noon. He is sure that is a good enough time for him to get to the guild.

He was almost at the clearing, and he could hear yelling. A sigh escaped his mouth. He already knows what is going on.

As soon as he entered the clearing, he saw blurs of red and orange. Charizard and Dragonite have woken up, and they already started fighting.

"I leave for a couple of minutes, and this happens." he muttered, placing his hand on his forehead. What a beautiful start to a wonderful morning.

He decided to ignore the roaring, and he made his way to where Greninja and the others are sitting. He is eating an Oran Berry, Gardevoir is watching the two hot-headed Pokémon fight while shaking her head, Crobat is asleep still, and Stunfisk is snoring happily underneath a shady branch.

Lowell reached into his bag and pulled out a granola bar, taking a huge bite. He swallowed his breakfast, and turned to his partner. "So, what started it this time?" he asked.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders as he continued to watch the fight. "Dragonite woke up and realized Charizard was still cuddled up next to her. She swung first, and Charizard retaliated." he explained with a bored expression on his face.

"So, the usual?" Lowell asked, to which Gardevoir nodded her head.

"I would stop them, but it is too early in the morning." she said, letting out a small yawn. "I don't understand them, sometimes."

Lowell chuckled lightly. "Yeah. They are fighting one moment, and the next they are friends. Still, it makes things more…interesting." he responded.

He knows that his little family is odd, but he doesn't care. It isn't something that he would trade for the world. The constant fighting and arguing can be a pain, but every family has those two siblings that are always fighting with each other. It is the same with Fairy Tail. Natsu and Gray are always arguing, but they still care for each other. They annoy the other members, but they still see them as just another part of the family. It makes him smile just thinking about it. He has a wonderful family, but Fairy Tail is much different than his own family. They are going to keep him on his toes, that is for sure.

They spent a half an hour eating and watching the two hot-headed Pokémon fight. After that, Gardevoir finally had enough, and she broke the two apart, promising punishment later, which was enough to make them both hide in their poke balls. It won't stop them from being punished, but it will at least delay the inevitable. The others went back into their poke balls as well, until it was only Lowell and Greninja. Together, the two of them walked back to Magnolia, planning on exploring the town a bit before finally heading towards the guild.

* * *

After walking through the town for nearly an hour, he was surprised with how nice people were. They have only been around for about a day, and yet people sent them smiles and waved in their direction. A couple people seemed scared at first, when they saw Greninja, but they warmed up to him after seeing how Lowell interacted with him. Some people even walked up to them to talk. It felt a little strange at first, but Lowell and Greninja quickly got used to it, and they contributed to the conversations. They talked to residents of the town, tourists, and shopkeepers. He felt a little bad that he couldn't buy anything from them, but he is hoping that will change after they go on this job with Levy. Even if it isn't much, a couple jewel will be useful for buying food and other necessities.

Lowell and Greninja both felt like they had seen enough of the town, and they were about to start heading towards the guild. However, as they passed by another shop, Lowell recognized the familiar white hair of Mira. She is carrying several baskets in her hands, going from shop to shop. They decided to see if she needed any help.

They walked up behind her, and she turned around upon hearing their footsteps. A big smile graced her face. "Oh, good morning!" she greeted happily. Lowell and Greninja smiled back at her.

"Good morning, Mira." Lowell greeted. He then set his gaze on the baskets in her hands. "Do you need some help?" he asked. He hates doing extra work, but he also loves to help people. Besides, she has been kind enough to him and his Pokémon, so he doesn't mind offering his help.

She giggled a bit. "If you don't mind. I am just buying a couple of things for the guild. The kitchen has run out of ingredients." she explained, handing Lowell and Greninja each a basket. "Just grab different fruits and vegetables. I have most of the other stuff, minus a few things for Master. Don't worry about money. I will be paying for everything."

The two of them nodded, as they went through the shop, picking up fresh produce and sticking them in the baskets. He would always go shopping for his mom, so he is good at telling which fruits are ripe, and which still need more time to ripen. Greninja couldn't be happier with this, because it means that all his Oran Berries are as sweet as they possibly can be.

As he picked out different produce, Lowell couldn't help but grin to himself. He will never admit it to anyone, but he enjoys shopping. Of course, he rarely buys anything for leisure, only necessities. Although there is just a calm feeling that he gets when he shops. He feels peaceful. It reminds him of when he was younger, and he and his sister would go to the store with their mother. They would go home, and they would watch their father cook with their mother. It was such a long time ago, yet he feels like it was just yesterday.

A small frown formed on his lips. He shook his head to snap out of his thoughts, allowing another small, yet sad smile to replace his frown. He can't let himself think like that.

 _"_ _Like Bella used to tell me, I can't get hung up on the past. He may no longer be with us, but he is still in our hearts. I need to keep moving forward."_ he thought. He looked over his shoulder to see Greninja helping Mira reach something that is too high up for her to reach. The sadness left his smile, leaving one of genuine happiness. _"I need to remind myself, that I will never be alone. I have my Pokémon, Bella and Mom, and now I have Fairy Tail. This is a new beginning for me, and I can't let that go to waste."_

Nearly an hour later, Mira had finished her shopping, and Lowell and Greninja are helping her carry the bags. She bought a lot of produce, as well as some proteins and things for baking sweets. They walked in silence, until Lowell thought of a way to break the ice. He needs to learn to be more open around other people.

"So, I am guessing that you cook for most of the guild?" he commented.

She nodded her head, humming her confirmation. "Mhm. Lisanna and Kinana help out, but I do most of the cooking." she responded. She tilted her head to the side to look at him. "What about you? Do you cook?" she asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "I'm alright. I would cook while I traveled, since we rarely stopped in towns. If we did, it wasn't for very long. I am good enough to make something edible, but I wouldn't necessarily call it enjoyable." he explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He was grateful when he returned home, because his mother cooked for him. She is by far a better cook than he will ever be.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. I tried something he cooked once." he said. They are best friends, but he won't deny that Lowell isn't the greatest cook. "I will stick to berries, personally."

Lowell smirked. "You mean your addiction?" he asked playfully.

Greninja whipped his head around and glared at Lowell. "It is NOT an addiction." he stated firmly. He turned back around, staring at the road ahead. "I just like them a lot." he added quietly.

Lowell and Mira both chuckled at Greninja, making him slightly irritated. "How about you go laugh at your pineapple addiction?" he suggested.

Lowell sighed. "Again, it is not an addiction. Just because I like a certain fruit, it doesn't mean that I have an addiction." he explained. "You, on the other hand, eat Oran Berries religiously." he replied.

Before they knew what was going on, the two of them had started arguing, again. Mira couldn't help but smile and giggle at the sight. She didn't expect him to be the one to get into such a silly argument. Although that isn't a bad thing, all the time. It is obvious to her that they are close, and she knows that the argument won't ruin their friendship.

Lowell and Greninja argued all the way to the guild hall, despite laughing throughout it. Mira just watched them. They may look serious, but neither of them really care about the whole argument, to begin with. However, if they were serious all the time, then they would get wrinkles and start to go bald from the stress. Well, Lowell would. Greninja doesn't have any hair to go bald. The point is, despite liking to get straight to business when it comes to work and other important things, they still know how to have fun.

They entered the guild hall, and it was surprisingly quiet. Natsu and Gray must have not gotten there, yet. The three of them emptied the bags in the kitchen. Lowell and Greninja offered to help Mira pick everything up, but she insisted that she could do it, by herself. The two of them left the kitchen, and went to sit at the bar. Lowell quickly scanned the guild hall, and Levy hasn't gotten here yet. Seeing as there is nothing else to do, they may as well just wait for her to arrive.

Lowell placed his head on the counter of the bar, shutting his eyes and covering his face with his arms. If he is going to just sit there and do nothing for minutes, he may as well just get some rest in the meantime. He could read the books Levy got for him, but there will be time for that later. For now, he is content with sleeping.

Mira finished picking up the groceries, and she stepped back into the main area of the guild hall. She noticed Lowell with his head on the counter, and she frowned.

"Did you not get much sleep last night?" she asked, rather concerned.

Greninja waved off her concern. "Don't worry about him. He likes to take naps whenever possible." he responded.

Mira giggled lightly. "Really? Wow, you are much lazier than I thought you were." she said with a playful smile.

Lowell groaned and slowly lifted his head up to look at her. "I'm not lazy. Whenever something important comes up, I am dedicated, and you won't see me slacking off. However, right now, I am just waiting for Levy, so I might as well get some more rest." he explained before laying his head back on the counter.

A mischievous smile formed on Mira's face. She is going to have some fun with this.

She leaned closer against the counter, placing her elbows on top of it with her chin resting on her hands. "Oh~ Why are you waiting for Levy?" she asked with a raised brow.

Lowell sighed, but he didn't move from his spot. He is not dealing with this right now.

Seeing that his trainer won't give her a response, Greninja answered for him. "Yesterday we decided that we were going to go on a job, in hopes of finding some useful information. However, we since this is the first job we will be doing for Fairy Tail, it would be smart for us to go with someone who has been a member for longer, and Levy suggested we go on one with her." he explained.

Mira nodded her head in understanding. It makes enough sense. Until they get used to going on jobs, then they should go with another person. Also, they still cannot afford to pay for train tickets, until they accumulate some Jewel. However, Mira still wants to tease Lowell, for a bit. Before she went shopping, Lucy had told her some…interesting things, and she wants to see if they are true.

"You seem to get along pretty well with Levy." she commented. Lowell didn't say anything, but Mira could see his body tense up. This made her grin. "What did you two do before coming to the guild?" she asked.

Lowell sighed, and he looked up at her with a mostly neutral expression. Her sudden question surprised him, but he isn't going to let her get what she wants. "We quickly stopped at a restaurant in Hargeon to eat lunch, and then we got on a train to Crocus. After that, we met up with Natsu and the others, before going to speak with the king." he answered truthfully.

Mira frowned a bit at his answer. "There is more that you aren't telling me." she stated with a small pout.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "My business is my business, and I'll tell you what I feel like telling you." he responded. He hopes that she just gives up soon, because he isn't sure how much longer he can hold in the small blush trying to creep its way onto his face.

However, she only took this as a sign that he wasn't telling her something, which made her even more persistent. "So, there is something you are hiding." she insisted.

He looked toward Greninja for some help, but he just shrugged his shoulders and turned away. He is on his own, for this one. Greninja has no interest in getting involved in this.

Lowell sighed. "No, I am not. You just assume that." he responded.

She was about to argue back, but the door to the guild opened, and a voice stopped her.

"Mira, leave him alone." Levy said as she walked towards the three of them. She gave Lowell and Greninja a small smile, but then she started to glare a little at Mira. "Nothing happened. You are letting your little shipping problem get to your head." she said before taking a seat next to Lowell.

Mira giggled and playfully pouted at Levy. "You just want to get him to yourself." she said with a small smirk.

In that instant, both Levy and Lowell blushed up a storm, failing to hide it from the white-haired girl. Although she wasn't exactly wrong about that. Levy didn't like that Mira was trying to interrogate him, like how Lucy interrogated her. She didn't tell her anything, but Lucy could tell from Levy's blush that she at least had feelings for him, whether she fully understood them herself or not. Also, as much as she doesn't want to admit it, she felt a little…jealous that Mira was so close to him. Of course, she knows she won't try to steal him away from her- Wait.

Levy slightly shook her head to clear it of her thoughts. _"Was I seriously about to think that?"_ she thought to herself. At this point, her face is almost redder than Erza's hair.

In an attempt to get away from this conversation, she quickly grabbed Lowell's hand and started to drag him over to the request board. Of course, when she grabbed his hand, Mira started to squeal in delight. Greninja followed the pair to the leader board silently, being happy to get away from a fangirling Mira.

Lowell let out a sigh of relief as they arrived at the request board. He sent Levy a grateful smile, a small blush still present on his cheeks. "Thanks for that, Levy. I don't understand why Mira was so…crazy. She didn't seem like that, yesterday." he replied.

Levy groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry about that. Lucy came over to my room last night, and she started asking questions." she said with a small pause. "S-she thinks that we are some sort of c-couple." she explained with a stutter, still slightly embarrassed.

This doesn't surprise Lowell or Greninja at all. They knew that something was up when she started asking him about Levy. Although they have been pretty close since they met, so their assumption is understandable, at least. Though, thinking about the possibility of being in a relationship with Levy made him even more flustered. She is nice, and he has enjoyed talking to her, but he isn't sure if he is ready to commit to a relationship. Maybe once he learns more about Ishgar's appearance on Earth he will think about a relationship, but until then, he needs to keep that thought out of his mind.

He took a moment to calm himself, and his face slowly started to return to normal. He let out a small sigh and took a look at the board. "Anyways, what do you suggest we do?" he asked, getting focused on the task at hand.

Levy collected herself and started to look at the different requests. There are a lot of challenging ones up there, as well as some easier ones. She feels like they could handle a more difficult job, since she thinks both of them can handle themselves fairly well. She also wants to take one with a higher pay, because Lowell still has no Jewel, and she can tell that he is tired of other people paying for him.

It took a couple minutes, but Levy finally found a job that was not too difficult, but not too easy. It also pays 200,000 Jewel, which is a pretty decent sum of money. Even once they split it evenly, that will be plenty for both of them.

Satisfied with her choice, she handed it to Lowell. "Since you know a lot more about Pokémon than the rest of us, it may be beneficial to take a job related to them." she explained.

Lowell took the request from Levy, and he read it aloud. "A group of strange creatures have been coming into town and stealing food from restaurants and homes. They come back every other day, looking for more. There is a food shortage now, and the people are beginning to grow angry because nothing has been done to stop it. I am willing to pay 200,000 Jewel to whoever can stop these thefts."

The request was sent by the mayor of Camellia Town, a man named Andreas Robertson. He exchanged a look with Levy, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I am familiar with the place, but I have never been there, myself. It is about two days from here, by train." she explained.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding. Honestly, he isn't quite sure if the cause of these thefts are Pokémon. In a world of magic, he is pretty sure that the term "strange creature" could be used very often. Although it isn't entirely impossible. He was told how there have been a lot of jobs related to Pokémon appearing on the request boards of guilds across Fiore, so this could be another one of those.

Greninja read his thoughts exactly. "We can go check it out. Even if it isn't related to Pokémon, we can still try to help them." he responded.

The other two nodded their heads in agreement. Two days isn't too bad, but it will definitely give him time to read, as well as get some more sleep.

On their way out of the guild, they had to let Mira know they were taking that job. Of course, she tried to start of their past conversation, but the two of them just ignored it. They then bought two train tickets – three tickets – actually, because they had to get a ticket for Greninja, as well. He could've rode in his poke ball, but he would rather travel outside of it.

* * *

The next two days sped by without much of anything really happening. All they could do was wait for the train to arrive at their destination, so they passed the time by talking to each other, and reading. Lowell finally started to read the books Levy got for him, and he was intrigued by how mages were able to absorb the Ethernano from their surroundings into their bodies. That means that if he can learn how to absorb Ethernano into his body, then he should be able to use magic. Although he isn't entirely sure how he is going to do that.

Levy suggested to try and absorb it through his guild mark, since it was made by a magic stamp. He tried it, and after a couple of tries, he was finally able to feel a strange energy on the back of his hand, where his guild mark is. With more practice, he is hoping that he will be able to draw in Ethernano automatically, like the mages. It is small progress, but it is something, at least.

When they arrived in Camellia Town, their eyes widened in astonishment. The town isn't very big, but it is in the middle of a field of beautiful Camellia flowers. The town is surrounded by forest on three sides, providing a cool shade. All of the buildings are rather small and simple in design, with walls made of a light-colored wood, and the floors made of stone. People walk through the streets, not giving any attention to the three new arrivals.

They can see kids playing in the flowery fields, but they all have small frowns on their faces. Their parents are keeping a watchful eye on the forest, as if something would pop out at any moment. It is obvious that these people are worried that those creatures the mayor mentioned will come back.

Levy frowned. "They definitely don't seem happy." she commented.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah. If it is a group of Pokémon that caused this, then I am going to have a serious talk with them. Even with everything going on, there is no reason to be stealing food from children and their families." he said, slightly clenching his fists.

Lowell noticed this, so he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. Whatever is causing this; we will put a stop to it." he said with a reassuring smile. Greninja looked at his trainer blankly for a moment before sighing and unclenching his fists.

"You're right. I will make sure of that." Greninja responded.

Levy doesn't understand what is going on, but she chose not to say anything. Obviously, something about the situation at hand brought back some memories, and she doesn't want to make things worse. He'll talk about it when he feels comfortable enough to do it.

The three of them walked further into town, finally gaining the attention of some of the citizens. However, their eyes immediately went to Greninja, and they began to back away from them. It was either out of fear, or confusion. However, like usual, they just ignored this. They still have no idea what is going on, so it is only natural that they are still afraid. Hopefully, once word finally spreads about Earth and the new tournament, if the Magic Council agrees to it, people won't be so afraid of the Pokémon.

They didn't have to look very far for the mayor's house. It is near the far edge of the town, next to the forest. It is bigger than the rest of the houses, and it has a dark, slanted roof. Lowell stepped up on the porch and knocked on the door. For a moment, everything was silent. However, footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door, and then it slowly creaked open. It revealed an older woman, in her mid-forties. She has long, blonde hair tied back into a pony-tail. She has warm, green eyes, and a pleasant smile. She is wearing a sleeveless, white dress that stops below her knees, and a golden necklace with a red jewel in it.

She smiled at them, until she noticed Greninja. She was about to say something, until Lowell interrupted her.

"We have come from Fairy Tail." he said quickly. "We saw the request sent out by the mayor."

The woman nodded her head in understanding, but she still seemed a little hesitant because of Greninja.

"You don't need to worry about me." he said, making her jump a little. She must have never heard a Pokémon talk, before. "Not all Pokémon are out to cause trouble. I am personally disgusted with how the thieves have acted. No matter what reason, it doesn't justify stealing food from a family."

"Pokémon?" she asked, confused.

Levy sighed. "It is a long story. We can explain it, once we see the mayor." she stated.

The woman nodded her head in understanding, and she led them upstairs to where her husband, the mayor's office is. She knocked on the door before hearing a voice telling them to come in. She opened the door for them, and they walked into the room to see a man sitting behind a desk.

Much like his wife, Andreas appears to be in his mid-forties. However, he has short, messy black hair, and dark-red eyes. He is wearing a simple, black, long-sleeved shirt, a pair of dark-blue pants, and a pair of black dress shoes. He looked up from the paperwork he was writing, and he smiled at Lowell and Levy. Much like his wife, however, he frowned at the sight of Greninja.

"Before you say anything," Lowell started. "Allow us to explain." he continued. He would rather get this out the way quickly, so that these people would stop looking at Greninja like he was a monster.

He quickly explained everything that happened, including how Ishgar somehow ended up being transported to Earth, and how Pokémon are common knowledge. He explained what a trainer is, and that humans and Pokémon get along with each other.

The mayor and his wife stayed silent throughout the whole explanation, only nodding their heads to show that they understood. Once the explanation was finally over, silence washed over the room. They were still trying to process everything that Lowell told them. This lasted for nearly two minutes, before the mayor cleared his throat.

"Well," he said in a calm voice. "I was definitely not expecting to hear all that. Well, anyways, we have not properly introduced ourselves. My name is Andreas Robertson, and this is my wife, Anna."

The others introduced themselves, and they finally got down to business.

"So, when do the thefts happen?" Lowell asked.

Andreas took a quick sip of coffee before placing his mug back on his desk. "It happens every other night. They show up in groups, sneaking into houses. We don't notice them until they are almost out of the town." he explained.

"Can you tell us what these "creatures" look like?" Greninja asked.

Sadly, Andreas shook his head. "I'm afraid not. No one has been able to get a good enough look at them. All we know is that they are small enough to fit through windows, and some are small enough to fit through doggy doors." he explained.

Lowell sighed. Then that means that they can't determine which Pokémon they are dealing with. All they know is that they show up at night, and that they show up at houses and restaurants. They can also rule out any large Pokémon, because they wouldn't be able to fit through a kitchen window or doggy door.

"Have they done anything other than steal food?" Lowell asked.

Anna shook her head. "No. None of the citizens have been attacked, and only food has been stolen. We don't know why, but no one is happy about it."

Lowell sighed and placed his hand on his chin in thought. If they are just stealing food, then they don't have any real ill intent. Maybe something happened, and they need food. He has encountered Pokémon in the past who collected food from towns for a sick friend or family member. This could be another one of those situations, but they can't be sure, until they find where they are taking all the food. To do that, they need to follow one of the Pokémon into the forest.

"We could watch for them, but we don't know how many there are. We might end up going to the wrong place." Levy commented.

The mayor nodded in agreement. "Yes. We tried that, but it didn't work. They are definitely sneaky. They manage to avoid the houses that are being watched."

Greninja sighed. "What other options are there, then? We can just go looking for them in the forest, but who knows how long that will take?"

Lowell must agree with that. Sure, with his Pokémon, Levy, and the townspeople, it would go faster, but there is still no guarantee that they would find them that way. They need to find a way to follow them, without them noticing. But how?

They spent another half an hour thinking of possible ideas. They don't want to mess this up, because then the thieves will be onto them. This needs to be flawless. If only they could just talk to them. It would make things a lot easier.

Suddenly, Lowell stood up from his seat. "I've got it." he announced, catching the others' attention.

Levy smiled. "Really?" she asked.

Lowell nodded his head in confirmation before turning to face Greninja. "You said that you would give them a serious talking to when you found them, right?" he asked.

Greninja nodded his head. "Yeah. Why?"

Lowell grinned, showing off his wolf-like canines. "We are going to do just that."

* * *

 **AN: Well, I managed to get it out tonight, like I planned on. Although it is shorter than I would have liked. For the next chapter, I may make it extra long to make up for it. I also wanted to focus on the main part of the job in another chapter, plus some things that happen afterward.**

 **Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed it, even though it was a little short. Again, I will try to update the story sometime next week. By then, I will be done with my research paper for my English class, so I won't have as much too worry about. If you enjoyed, please leave a review, because I always enjoy reading what you have to say. I have gotten a few already, and I appreciate the feedback.**


	7. Chapter 7

After speaking with the mayor, everyone got to work to make sure that Lowell's plan succeeded. They walked around the town, familiarizing themselves with the layout, and taking note of where the thieves were said to leave from. Apparently, they get away by sneaking through the bushes or going up into the trees. They managed to find a few prints in the ground, but he doesn't recognize them off-hand.

The people of the town are skeptic about his plan, but they are going along with it, because Andreas told them that he believes the plan would work. Lowell appreciated the sentiment, but it is too early to tell if it will work or not. For all he knows, this could just be a waste of their time, but it is worth a shot. He can't think of any ways to follow them without them noticing, so instead, his plan is to get their attention.

The entire town is gathering in the flowery fields, putting together a picnic. It isn't anything too fancy, because there is still a food shortage, but it should be enough to draw the thieves' attention. They are hoping that they will take the chance of trying to steal the food, even though they are around. Hopefully they won't be able to resist all the food in an open area. They most likely wouldn't expect a trainer to be helping the townspeople, so Lowell's Pokémon can hide in the forest, without the thieves expecting anything. When the thieves make their appearance, his team will reveal themselves, and surround them to stop them from escaping. Then they are going to have a little talk, like Greninja wanted.

It is still light out, and it won't be getting dark for another hour or so. They have been preparing for this all day, and they are hoping that this works. Blankets are spread in the grass, and parents are setting up picnic baskets. They didn't tell the children about the plan, so they are all running around in the grass and playing. Compared to how they looked when they arrived in town this morning, they seem a little happier.

Lowell looked towards the forest edge, where Greninja is currently hidden. He has done a good job of hiding himself. Lowell can't see any trace of him, or his other Pokémon. Although, trying to hide Charizard and Dragonite would be a bit difficult, considering how much they stand out compared to the others, so they are still in their poke balls. Gardevoir, Crobat, and Stunfisk are all hiding in the forest, as well. Hopefully this all goes well.

He felt the blanket underneath him shift a little when someone sat beside him. He looked to his right, and he saw that it was Levy. She has a smile on her face, but she seems a bit concerned.

"Let me guess, you don't think the plan is going to work?" he assumed.

She shook her head. "It isn't that, but are you sure that it wouldn't be easier to just look for them? For all we know, we could be cornering some of them, but then we could get ambushed by even more. If that happens, then a lot of people could get hurt."

Lowell sighed and shook his head. "I highly doubt that. If they haven't hurt anyone yet, then I doubt that will hurt anyone now." he responded. "Hopefully, when they notice they are surrounded, they will just give up. Considering that they always sneak into town, it is safe to say that they aren't looking for a fight. I would rather solve this peacefully." he explained.

Also, he wants to know why they are stealing food from these people. Can't they just scavenge for food in the forest? Something must have happened, that caused the Pokémon to resort to stealing. He knows that, if given the opportunity, he can talk to them and figure out their motives, as well as find a way to resolve things in a way that both sides benefit.

Levy nodded her head in understanding. She won't doubt his plan, because he has more experience dealing with Pokémon than she does. He would know how to handle a situation like this better than she would.

They were both silent for a moment, but Levy decided to use this time to ask a couple of things.

"Earlier, Greninja seemed a little angry when he saw how the children of the town were effected. It is understandable, but it seemed like a personal matter." she stated.

Lowell sighed, placing his head in one of his hands. "Yeah. It has something to do with something that happened long before he and I met. The problem was eventually solved, but he still has a hard time moving on from that." he explained. His eyes show his sadness. "I do what I can to help, but it is up to him to forgive himself. Although he can explain it more, once he feels like talking about it."

Levy understands. Whatever is bothering Greninja, it is a personal subject, and he needs to be the one to talk about it. She won't force him to talk, though. Still, she wonders what he would have to forgive himself for.

With that question answered, she went onto her next one. "So, do you think that you will get any useful information from this job?" she asked. By the looks of things, the only thing out of the ordinary around here are the thieves. They still haven't confirmed if they are Pokémon or not, but that is the most likely conclusion. Still, she doubts that it has anything to do with how they ended up in Earth.

Lowell shook his head. "No, probably not, and I wasn't expecting to. However, if I just stay in Magnolia, then I definitely won't find anything. I agreed to do this job, because I wanted to help these people. It is as simple as that." he explained.

As nice as it would be for them to find some information already, things just don't happen like that. It will never be that easy. This is going to take time, and he knows that. However, while he is here, he may as well try and help other people. They were affected by the changes that took place when Ishgar merged with Earth, and so were the Pokémon. By taking these jobs, he can help the citizens of Fiore, as well as make sure they Pokémon don't suffer, either. Even if it means he has to stay here longer, he doesn't mind. At least he can be of some help.

Levy looked at him with slight shock. She knew that he cared about others, even if he doesn't enjoy being crowded, but he is so willing to help people he literally just met. He isn't even a mage. If a serious fight were to break out, then there is a chance he could get severely injured, and he knows that. Yet, he shows complete confidence in his team's abilities, and he comes up with plans of action for everyone to take. He even goes out of his way to avoid unnecessary conflicts. How can one person be so wonderful? She admired him a lot before, but this only make her look up to him even more.

They both settled into a comfortable silence as they watched the sunset and enjoyed each other's company. Lowell watched the sunset with his Pokémon from time to time, but it feels so much different, now that he is doing it with Levy. They've stopped talking, but even so, he enjoys just being next to her, which is something he would've never thought would happen. If it was with anyone else, he would most likely be taking a nap.

He took a quick glance to his right, and he saw that she was looking straight ahead, her sight focused on the sunset. Now that it is just the two of them, he can't help but admire her features.

She is a lot shorter than other girls her age, but that doesn't take away from her overall beauty. She has flawless skin, and whenever she holds his hand, he can't help but notice how smooth hers are. Her hair is short, but beautiful, and her warm, brown eyes makes him feel at ease. He has never cared about looks, but to him, Levy is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. His cheeks blush at these thoughts, but he can't help it.

Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Levy turned around, and she took note of how quickly Lowell turned away. She blushed, but she smiled nonetheless. A lot of people would consider it creepy for a guy to stare at a girl like that, but she finds it endearing. It proves that he at least has some feelings for her, which makes her feel a little giddy inside. Suddenly, she gained a little more courage, and she did something that may or may not end up embarrassing her. She reached for his hand.

He gasped at the sudden contact, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he gave her hand a light squeeze. He has come to terms with these strange feelings. He likes Levy. He enjoys being close to her and holding hands like this. He still isn't sure why he is so drawn to her, but he won't complain about it. He has never felt this strongly for someone before, and it feels nice.

A breeze passed by, and it made Levy shiver a little. Lowell noticed, so he took off his coat and offered it to Levy.

"Won't you be cold, too?" she asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. I have always liked the cold, so it won't bother me. Please, take it." he insisted.

She was still a little hesitant, but with a sigh, she accepted his offer, and he wrapped the warm coat around her. Almost immediately, she let out a sigh of relief. The warm furs lining the inside of the jacket made her much warmer. She wrapped the coat tighter around herself, and she then leaned against Lowell, placing her head on his shoulder. He is a little surprised, but he doesn't mind.

They stayed like this until the sun finally disappeared, leaving them in darkness. The only sources of light are lanterns that people brought out with them, and they only create a dim light. It is only a matter of time now, before the thieves show up.

Some families began to return to their houses, because their children had fallen asleep. Others remained outside, in the hope of catching the ones responsible for their food shortage.

They sat in darkness for nearly half an hour, before they heard a quiet rustling in some of the bushes. Lowell and Levy both stood up, ready to take action if necessary. The rustling continued for a couple seconds, before it stopped and left everyone in complete silence. The only sound they can hear is wind blowing through the trees.

Then, without any warning, a shadow dashed out of the bushes and into the clearing. It was aiming for the picnic baskets. People ran out of the way, trying to avoid getting knocked over.

"Now, Levy!" Lowell exclaimed.

Levy nodded her head and began to write using her Solid Script Magic. " **Solid Script: Light!** " A shining lightbulb appeared in front of Levy, lighting up the clearing. In turn, it left the thief completely visible.

It is a green, wolf-like Pokémon with yellow stripes on its nose, sides of its head, and its tail. Lowell immediately recognized this Pokémon as an Electrike. He saw a lot of these while fighting Team Flare.

The Electrike growled at them, and tried to run away when it realized that it had been caught. Several people tried to catch it, but it was too fast for them, ducking underneath their legs and running around them. However, just as it was about to reach the forest edge, a shuriken made of compressed water struck the ground in front of it, creating a small explosion that picked up the dust in the area. Once the dust went away, Greninja was standing in the spot his **Water Shuriken** hit.

"You won't be getting away that easy." Greninja told the lightning Pokémon.

Suddenly, the ground next to Greninja was engulfed in a dark-purple explosion, knocking him back a couple feet. Flying above them is a black, crow-like Pokémon.

"What is that?" Levy asked in surprise.

Lowell took out his Pokedex and pointed it at the new arrival. The Pokémon's picture then appeared on the screen.

"Murkrow: The Darkness Pokémon. Feared and loathed by many, it is said to bring misfortune to all who see it at night." the Pokedex stated.

"That doesn't sound good." Levy responded.

Lowell didn't respond. Instead, he studied the surrounding area. _"Is that all of them?"_ he thought.

The sound of another explosion caught his attention. Greninja is dodging Shadow Balls left and right, using Night Slash to counter any of them that he can't escape. While Greninja was busy doing this, Electrike used this as a chance to strike, hoping it would leave him immobile. Its body crackled with electricity.

" **Thundershock**!" Electrike shot a small bolt of lightning towards Greninja, and if it connects, then it will do a decent amount of damage.

However, before it could reach him, Stunfisk jumped out, and he absorbed the electricity with ease.

The electric/ground-type Pokémon chuckled when the electric-type attack hit him. "Wow. That tickled." he commented.

At this point, they have no choice but to fight back. Lowell and the others were hoping that they wouldn't put up a fight. Their best option now is to weaken them, but not hurt them, too much. They need to slow them down.

"Stunfisk, use **Mud Shot** on Electrike. Greninja, use **Water Shuriken** on Murkrow!" Lowell ordered.

The two Pokémon followed their trainer's orders and charged at their respective targets. Stunfisk spat out balls of mud that rained down on Electrike. The lightning Pokémon dodged the first few, but then he tripped on the muddy ground, causing him to stumble and fall.

Meanwhile, Greninja hopped into a tree to avoid another Shadow Ball. He compressed water in his palm to create another Water Shuriken, which he threw at the flying Pokémon. However, Murkrow reeled back his wings and flapped them hard, creating blades of wind that flew towards Greninja.

" **Air Slash!** " Murkrow exclaimed.

Greninja jumped into the air, avoiding the sharp wind blades. He could hear the sound of wood snapping, and when he turned around, he watched as the branch he was standing on crashed to the ground. He turned back to face Murkrow, with a serious glint in his eyes.

"I won't allow you and your friends to keep stealing from these innocent people!" he declared. His arms and legs began to glow white, and he continued to ascend higher in the air towards Murkrow.

"And I won't let you get in our way!" the darkness Pokémon replied. He tried to send another Air Slash at Greninja, but he disappeared. He scanned the ground below him, searching for the ninja Pokémon, when he suddenly felt the presence of something behind him.

" **Aerial Ace!** " Greninja came down on Murkrow and dropkicked him with a glowing leg, sending him crashing into the ground.

Greninja landed a couple feet away from Murkrow, and he slowly walked towards the darkness Pokémon. Murkrow started to get up, but he didn't go any further than he already was, because he knew he couldn't win a fight with Greninja. Electrike isn't that far away, and he is being kept in place by Stunfisk.

Now that the two of them aren't able to go anywhere, Lowell and Levy walked up to them.

"You can come out now, Gardevoir, Crobat." Lowell called.

Gardevoir stepped out of the forest, using Psychic to keep the two smaller Pokémon in place, just in case they tried anything. Crobat stayed above everyone to make sure that there were no more surprise attacks.

"Will you stop fighting, or do you want to continue?" Lowell asked. He hopes that they stand down, because he doesn't want to harm anymore Pokémon.

Electrike and Murkrow exchanged a quick look before sighing and nodding their heads. They don't want to give up, but they know that they are outmatched.

Hearing this, Gardevoir gently placed them on the ground before releasing them from her Psychic. She watched them closely in case they tried to make a break for it. However, this did not happen. They just stood there, waiting for whatever would come next.

Lowell looked around the field, and then down at the two Pokémon. "Are there more of you?" he asked. He received silence. Lowell sighed. "Look. I don't want to start another fight. The last one was highly unnecessary. We weren't going to hurt you. We only wanted to talk, and that is still our intention." he explained.

Electrike was in deep thought for a moment. After a moment of silence, he sighed and called out to someone. Before they could say anything, several small figures walked out of the forest. Lowell recognized a Patrat, Pancham, Zigzagoon, and Mankey. They all walked forward and joined their friends without a word. They all looked down to avoid the gazes of the humans and Pokémon in front of them.

"What was your reason for stealing food from the people of this town?" Lowell asked. "Is there no food in the forest, or did something happen?"

The Pokémon were silent, before Electrike, who appears to be their leader, spoke up. "Actually, it is both of those things." he replied.

Greninja looked at the lightning Pokémon in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Electrike sighed. "We have been able to find some fruit, but we can't find berries, anywhere. There are more of us, but we are the ones that have been stealing the food. It has been hard to feed everyone." he explained. A low growl than escaped his mouth. "Then, a group of bigger and stronger Pokémon came along. They threaten to hurt some of the younger Pokémon among us, if we don't give them a majority of the food we collect. The choice in this scenario is an obvious one."

Lowell looked at the other Pokémon, and he didn't see anything in any of them that made him think they were bad. They all look rather sad, and he can tell that they haven't eaten much, because they look skinnier than most. He also doesn't doubt what Electrike said about berries. They are in Fiore, which means that Oran and Pecha Berries don't grow naturally, here, and those berries are what a lot of Pokémon in the wild eat. It is very possible that it is hard for them to find food.

Now that he thinks about it, is it that hard for every Pokémon living in Fiore to find food? Are the Pokémon here suffering? That would explain why so many of them are attacking towns and cities. They aren't just mad because of losing their homes, they are also trying to find food. Maybe he can help them, somehow.

However, Greninja doesn't care. He understands that it must've been hard for them to feed their friends and family, but stealing is never justified. You can steal from the rich and give to the poor, but stealing is still stealing.

"You can't just go around stealing from people, just because you are having trouble finding food. It isn't right." he said, looking at the ground. "I should know." he continued.

Lowell sighed and watched from afar. He isn't going to interrupt. If Greninja wants to talk about it, then he will.

Greninja stood there for a moment, clenching his fists. "Before I met the professor and went with Lowell on his journey, I was a part of a group of Pokémon that went around stealing from people and Pokémon alike. It didn't matter if it was food, or money. Even if we had no use for the item, we stole it." he explained with downcast eyes.

Everyone listened without saying a word. Levy was a little shocked, but now she understands why Greninja didn't like the subject. He was a thief, in the past, and he learned that what he was doing was wrong.

"This went on for over a year, before we finally learnt our lesson. The people we stole from got tired of it, and they drove us away from the town. We didn't know where to go, and I knew that going back to stealing wasn't the right decision. We had lost the only home we ever knew, because we stole from others." he explained. "While travelling with Lowell, I tried to make up for my mistakes, by helping as many people as possible."

He turned to face the Pokémon in front of him. "You are different than the group I was a part of. You steal to survive. We simply stole because we felt like it. Stop while you still can, so that you don't turn into what we were." he said before turning and walking away. He didn't go far, but he simply went back into the woods, so that he could be alone for a little while. Lowell didn't stop him, because he knows that he needs some time to himself to think.

After that, everyone went silent. No one knew what to say. To break the tension, Lowell decided to speak up.

"I agree with Greninja. Stealing isn't right, and it will only hurt you more, in the end." he said.

Electrike and the other Pokémon didn't agree with this. "Then what are we going to d- "Electrike was cut off by Gardevoir.

"Let him finish, before you begin to complain." she said sternly, which managed to get him to be quiet and let Lowell continue.

"That being said, I want to help you, and I have an idea of how to help." he responded. "Electrike, if it is possible, can you take us to where your group lives?" he asked.

"Why?" Electrike asked skeptically.

Lowell grinned. "Because, we are going to deal with this group of stronger Pokémon, so that you don't have to live in fear of them stealing your food." he explained.

The Pokémon looked at him in astonishment. They've been stealing from this town, and they even attacked Lowell and the others, yet he is willing to help them? Why would he do that?

Murkrow flew closer to Lowell. "Why would you help us, after everything we did?" he asked. "You have no reason to help us."

Lowell looked at the Pokémon with sympathy and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not, but I want to help. You have been victims just as much as this town has. If we deal with your problem, then the town won't have to worry about you stealing food from them again." he explained.

It makes sense when you think about it, but what about the food? Levy doesn't understand what good it will do to defeat the group of Pokémon stealing from Electrike and his friends if they are still going to have trouble finding food.

"Won't they just come back to the town and begin to steal again?" Levy asked, a little uncertain.

Lowell was silent for a moment, thinking about that. She has a point. Doing this means nothing if they will just come back to the town, looking for food. That problem still needs to be solved, as well.

He sighed. "I am still thinking about that, but we need to take things one step at a time." he responded. "We'll take care of these stronger Pokémon, and then we will worry about the food situation."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, figuring that this is the best plan of action. If it isn't, then they can't come up with anything better. The only person who is visibly upset by this is the mayor, who stomped away from the others with an angry expression on his face. Lowell noticed this, but he will deal with that, later.

He turned back to face the Pokémon, who have newfound hope in their eyes. "Alright. For now, I want all of you to stay near the edge of the forest. The people of the town are probably still weary of you, so it would be best to not make them uncomfortable." he said, to which they nodded their heads in understanding. "My Pokémon will keep an eye on you, just to make sure you don't try anything stupid. Once the sun is up again, we will all go to where your group lives, to take care of this problem."

With that said, everyone began to return to their homes. It is rather late, and many of them have work tomorrow. Levy began to head to the hotel they will be staying at, and the Pokémon began to head toward the forest. Lowell will go back to the hotel, but he has two things he needs to take care of, first, so he told Levy to go without him.

He walked up to Crobat, who is currently perched on a branch. The bat Pokémon looked down at his trainer.

"I want you to keep an eye on Greninja." Lowell said. "He is probably angry at himself, right now, so I need someone to make sure he doesn't go off and do something he may regret. You have a closer relationship to Greninja than the others, so I trust you to make sure he is alright." he explained.

Crobat nodded his head in understanding and smiled. "Don't worry about that. I'll make sure he is alright. I was planning on doing that, even if you didn't tell me to." he responded before flying off to find Greninja.

Lowell watched as Crobat flew off to find Greninja, and he let out a tired sigh. _"I can only hope that Crobat will calm him down."_ he thought before heading towards the town. With that done, there is only one thing left for him to do.

"Now, I need to go have a word with Andreas." he muttered to himself.

* * *

Lowell knocked on the door to the mayor's house, and it was quickly opened by Anna, who greeted him with a sad frown. It is obvious that she knows why he is here, and she is just as upset about it as he is.

"I'm guessing that the mayor isn't quite happy that we are going to be helping the Pokémon?" Lowell assumed.

She sighed and nodded her head in confirmation. "He is furious. He can't seem to understand that, by helping them, we are also helping the town. I guess he isn't quite convinced that this plan of yours is going to succeed." she explained.

He figured as much. He began to walk towards the stairs, already knowing that he was in his office. Anna didn't try to stop him, because she knows that he needs to speak with him.

Once he reached the door to the study, he noticed that it was already opened. He peered inside the room, and he saw that Andreas is sitting at his desk, one arm laying on top of it, and his other hand holding up his face. He saw Lowell enter the room, and he sat back in his chair with an angry glint in his eyes.

"You just took it upon yourself to offer help to those creatures." he stated angrily.

Lowell narrowed his eyes at the man. "Those "creatures" have a name, and if I remember correctly, it is our job to deal with the group of thieves. However, by helping them, they will leave your town alone." he explained.

Andreas sat up and slammed his hands against the desk, failing to intimidate Lowell even the slightest. "I was willing to go along with your last plan, because I believed that it would be beneficial to us. However, now you say that you don't know how to solve the food problem, yet you volunteer to take care of the group that is terrorizing those thieves?!"

Lowell sighed. "Listen. I am only one man. I am thinking of a plan as we speak, but I can't be expected to be able to come up with a solution to every problem in such a short period of time. I need time to think- "

"I am not paying you to think!" Andreas interrupted. "I am paying you to get results. So, if you want to be paid, then I suggest you take care of the problem." he said, turning around.

He tried to stay calm, but this man is irritating him very badly, right now. "Believe me, I will." he almost growled at the man. He turned and left the room, not even bothering to acknowledge Anna as he left the house without a word. He knows that she heard the yelling, but he doesn't care. Andreas is being stubborn, and Lowell is determined to take care of the situation, his own way. He'll show him that he can solve the problems on both sides. He just needs time to think of a plan.

* * *

In the forest, Crobat finally found Greninja. It took a little searching, but he knows where Greninja likes to go when he is upset. He found a small lake that reflects the moonlight, and Greninja was sitting on the edge of the lake, with his legs in the cool water.

Greninja is looking up at the moon, trying to calm his nerves. He is feeling better than he was a couple minutes ago, but he still needs some time before he can return to the others.

"How long are you going to just watch me?" he asked without turning around.

Crobat sighed and flew closer to Greninja, hovering right behind him. He isn't surprised that Greninja sensed him. After all, he is practically a ninja. They may be almost equal in speed, but Greninja has far before senses and reflexes than he does, which is what earned his respect when they first met.

"Tomorrow we are going to follow those Pokémon to the rest of their group. Lowell is planning on dealing with the ones threatening them, and he will figure out the food situation later." he explained, knowing that Greninja would like to be filled in on what he missed.

Greninja nodded his head in gratitude, but remained silent. They stayed like this for a couple minutes, listening to the crickets chirping and the wind blowing through the trees. Crobat knows that he can't force Greninja to talk, so he is waiting for him to speak up.

The bat Pokémon heard Greninja let out a sigh, and he knew what was coming.

"I'm fine." he responded. "I just…needed some time to myself, to think about things."

Crobat nodded his head in understanding. "Everyone understands." he replied. "Well, almost everyone understands. I have a feeling that the mayor isn't so understanding." he said, remembering the way the middle-aged man stomped off.

Greninja scoffed. He isn't surprised. The man seemed to understand their situation when they first told him about Pokémon, but he also didn't show any real interest towards them. He just wanted the job done, and that was it.

"Knowing Lowell, he has probably already dealt with the problem." Greninja responded, to which Crobat couldn't help but agree. He may not look like much to some, but he doesn't give up, and he most certainly won't let someone stop him from helping others.

There was another moment of silence. This isn't exactly something either of them are used to. Since they first met, they have become close friends, considering each other brothers. However, they aren't used to having these kinds of conversations with each other.

"You do realize that you aren't the only one that made mistakes, right?" Crobat asked. He doesn't know much about Greninja's past, only that he was in a group of thieves. He also helped Greninja out when they had a run in with his former group, during their travels. However, after that day, he didn't want to talk about it, and they understood. Still, he wasn't the only one who had done things they regret. "Look at me. When we first met, I was terrorizing trainers in a dark cave. It wasn't until you and Lowell defeated me in a battle that I realized that I could do so much more with my life."

Greninja sighed. He remembers that day very well.

* * *

 _A couple months into his journey, Lowell had reached the Connecting Cave on his way to Cyllage City. Greninja, or at this point in time, Froakie, was right by his side. They just finished a quick training session, before deciding that it was time they move on._

 _They stepped into the cave, and they were happy to see that there was still a decent amount of light filtering through the cave's opening. The two of them walked slowly and carefully, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of trouble. This is the first time Lowell had ever gone into a cave, so he didn't know what to expect._

 _As they progressed through the cave, they realized that there was a distinct lack of Pokémon in the cave. Lowell wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but the look on Froakie's face made him realize that it was the latter._

 _They took a couple more steps, before they began to hear a quiet screeching sound coming from the opposite end of the cave. At first, Lowell wasn't sure what it was, until the sound began to get closer and closer. He saw a cluster of blue bodies flying towards them, and he quickly ducked do avoid getting knocked off his feet. He and Froakie kneeled beside a small boulder, watching as the swarm of Zubat flew over their heads._

 _Almost a minute passed, and they were all gone. They stood up, thinking that it was over, but then another screech came from behind them. They turned around, and they were almost hit by a lone Zubat's glowing wing. Lowell rolled to the side, and Froakie hopped on top the boulder. Both narrowed their eyes at the bat Pokémon as it began to double back around._

 _Knowing that they had no other choice, Lowell acted. "Froakie,_ _ **Water Pulse**_ _on the rocks!" he ordered, swinging his arm forward._

 _Froakie obliged, forming a swirling sphere of water in his palms. He jumped back from his spot on the boulder, tossing the sphere of water. It made contact with the stone floor of the cave, causing stray rocks to fly up and hit the bat Pokémon. He tried to dodge them, but he couldn't prevent a couple of them from hitting his wings._

 _Seeing that he was distracted, Lowell saw an opening. "_ _ **Quick Attack!**_ _"_

 _Froakie dashed forward at a blinding speed, catching Zubat by surprise. He appeared behind him, and he tackled him into the ground, causing him to screech in pain._

 _Froakie returned to Lowell's side, and they watched to see what Zubat would do next. Slowly but surely, Zubat slowly hoisted himself off the ground, forcing himself to return to the air. He wasn't going to give up, even if he was severely overpowered. He was going to prove himself, even if it killed him._

 _Zubat took a deep breath before exhaling, and emitting a powerful Supersonic attack. Lowell and Froakier both had to cover their ears to block out the deafening sound, and Zubat used this to his advantage. He swooped down, wings glowing, and hit Froakie with a Wing Attack._

 _Froakie was knocked several feet back, hitting the hard, stone wall with a grunt of pain. Lowell looked back at his partner with concern. "Froakie!" he yelled in worry._

 _Froakie stood back up, giving his trainer a brief thumbs up, showing that he was still good to battle. Lowell nodded his head and returned his focus to the bat flying towards them once more. He was zigzagging through the air, making it hard for Froakie to land a hit._

 _Zubat wasn't sure what to do at this point. He knew that he wouldn't last for much longer, so he needed to do something that would change the tides of battle heavily in his favor. He thought of the possibilities for a moment, before his sight settled on Lowell. He realized that without his orders, Froakie wouldn't know what to do. If he took out the trainer, then he would win. He changed his trajectory, diving down towards Lowell._

 _Lowell's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't expecting to get targeted, and he wasn't prepared to defend himself. He brought his arms up to block the incoming attack, but a small shadow appeared in front of him. Froakie had jumped in front of Lowell, shocking both Lowell and Zubat. He began to glow, knocking Lowell and Zubat back._

 _The light continued to expand as Froakie got bigger, until the light vanished completely, revealing a newly evolved Frogadier. Lowell looked up at his partner with both gratitude and surprise. Not only did he protect him, but he also evolved in the process._

 _Frogadier stood across from the shocked Zubat, sending him a small glare. Lowell stood up, a small smile forming on his lips._

 _"_ _Alright, then. Frogadier, let's end this battle with a_ _ **Water Pulse!**_ _" he ordered._

 _Frogadier hopped into the air, hurling another Water Pulse. However, this time it was aimed directly for Zubat. He had no time to fly away, before the attack hit him. The sphere of water exploded upon impact, sending Zubat crashing to the ground._

 _Zubat tried to get back up, but his body wouldn't budge. He was still far too weak to defeat such strong opponents. He noticed the figure standing above him, and he realized that Lowell was looking down at him._

 _"_ _You have potential." he said. This surprised Zubat. He wasn't expecting to hear that. "However, your potential is wasted here. Why stay in a cave for the rest of your life, harassing passing trainers? You could do a lot more good by travelling, and learning to live up to your full potential." he explained, kneeling beside the fallen bat Pokémon. A small grin formed on his lips. "I know that it isn't a guarantee, but if you come with me, then I can at least help you toward that. It doesn't matter how much power someone can have. What matters is how they choose to use the power that they do have."_

 _Zubat listened to his words without missing a single word. Could he really help others? He's spent so much time attacking trainers that pass by, that he isn't sure how much help he could be. Suddenly, he noticed the red and white ball-like device in Lowell's hand._

 _Frogadier stood directly behind Lowell, with a small smile on his face, as well. "Would you like to be a part of our family?" Lowell asked._

 _Zubat looked at them, shocked, but he knew what he wanted to do. He knew how he could redeem himself. He just needed to trust the human that was willing to give him a chance._

 _With a newfound goal in mind, Zubat slowly picked himself off the cold ground, and he pressed his head against the button on the Poke ball, allowing himself to be caught. He wasn't sure what would happen from that point forward, but he did know that he wouldn't make the same mistakes that he already made._

* * *

Greninja recalled the event with a small smile on his face. "That was the day that our family gained a new member." he said, looking towards Crobat. "It was also the day that I found a pretty good rival." he said, his smile turning to a smirk.

Crobat laughed, remembering the first time he challenged Greninja to a rematch. He lost horribly, but now, the two of them are almost on equal playing fields. Greninja is still stronger than Crobat, but he won't give up that easily.

"So, are you feeling better now?" Crobat asked.

Greninja nodded his head, laughing a little. "Yeah. I may stay out here for a little longer, but I'm fine, now." he responded.

The bat Pokémon nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. Just remember that we are leaving early in the morning. Also, don't think about the past, too much. You've changed, and it was for the better. That is what matters."

Crobat soon left, leaving Greninja to his thoughts. He isn't wrong. Greninja knows that he shouldn't dwell over his past so much, because things have already resolved themselves. He should just be grateful that he has a family that cares about him, and are willing to help him in any way possible. He couldn't have become who he is today without their help, and he won't ever forget that.

He remained by the lake for a couple more minutes, before finally deciding to head back to the others. He needs to get some rest for tomorrow. If there is going to be a fight, then he needs to be prepared. He can't afford to get rusty now, of all times. Lowell is counting on him, and so are the other Pokémon. A reminder of his past isn't going to keep him from helping them. If anything, that just gives him even more of an incentive to do his best.

* * *

Back in the hotel, Lowell just arrived at the room he and Levy will be staying in. They both blushed at the thought of sharing a room together, but it was cheaper to get one room, and he wasn't going to make her pay extra for another room. Thankfully, there are two beds, much to both of their luck.

As soon as he walked into the room, Levy looked up from the book she is reading. She is wearing a blue, strapless nightgown that reaches down to her knees. She is also wearing a pair of reading glasses.

She smiled at him, but then she noticed the annoyed frown on his face, causing her smile to falter. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

He let himself fall on the bed across from hers with a small grunt. "Andreas is a very, very stubborn and aggravating man." Lowell responded.

Levy sighed. "What happened?" she asked, a little concerned. She noticed how he had stormed off before, but she wasn't expecting him to be in such a bad mood.

"He is mad that I didn't get his consent to help Electrike and his friends." he answered with a small sigh. "He doesn't seem to realize that, by helping them, we are also helping the town by stopping them from stealing more food." he explained.

Levy nodded her head in understanding. She can see why that would be a problem. "He shouldn't be complaining. At least we are trying to help him and the people of this town. If it gets results, then it shouldn't matter if we help the other Pokémon." she responded, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement. She then lowered her head. "Still, I can understand why he would be weary to accept your plan." she continued.

He looked at her with a raised brow. "Is it because we still haven't come up with an idea of how to solve their food problem?" he asked.

She frowned and nodded her head. "Yeah. We can't guarantee things will return to normal, so it is understandable that he would be hesitant to go along with it. It would've been smart to run it by with us, before you said you would help them."

Lowell stood up from the bed, a slight glint of anger in his eyes. "Why should I have to get permission to help them?" he asked, looking directly into her eyes. "They are being threatened by these stronger Pokémon. I won't just let them continue to harm them. I know that this is the best way of going about it. If we help these Pokémon, then we help the town."

Her eyes widened slightly, out of fear. She hadn't seen him this mad since she met him. Sure, he has gotten irritated, but never this mad. He noticed her fear, and he sighed, making himself calm down and sit back on the bed.

"I'm sorry." he said. "I just don't like sitting around and doing nothing when Pokémon need help." he explained.

She gave him a small smile. "It's alright. I understand. This is something that you believe strongly about, but you still need to think things through before committing to something that you may not be able to accomplish.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I know that, which is why I am trying to come up with a plan." he responded, letting out another sigh. "However, I still have no idea how I will do that. There is also the fact that, this is probably happening across Ishgar. Pokémon are probably having a hard time finding food, since their main source of food doesn't grow in this region, and it makes me upset that they have almost no other choice than to steal." he explained.

Levy frowned. He does have a point, but what can they do about that? It would take a lot more than just them to solve that problem, and they still need to focus on here and now. They can worry about the rest later.

Still, she can see how upset he is about this. Despite the blush threatening to rush to her cheeks, she leaned over and grabbed his hand, pushing her embarrassment to the side. He was way too tired to even blush. He just sat there, holding her hand.

"It's alright. I am sure that everything will work out." she said. "Let's focus on one thing at a time. We'll help Electrike and the other Pokémon, and then we will worry about the food. We need to take this one step at a time."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement, and he let a small smile appear on his face. For some reason, just talking to her has helped him calm down. Whenever he is around her, he is calm, yet he his heart keeps racing. He doesn't understand how someone can feel such a way.

He stared at her for a long moment, before he noticed something that made his smile widen playfully. "Are you still wearing my coat?" he asked.

She looked down, and she blushed when she realized she was still wearing it. She could have sworn that she had taken it off. Although she will admit that it makes her much warmer, and its smell also comforts her, whether it embarrasses her or not. It smells like the forest, which must be because he now sleeps in the forest.

She quickly took it off even though the lack of warmth made her sad, and she handed it back to him. "Sorry about that. I forgot that I was even wearing it." she apologized.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders, still having a playful smile on his face. "Don't worry about that. I'll admit, it is pretty comfortable. That is why I wear it, all the time. I like the cold, but it has a warmth that makes me want to fall asleep." he explained as he put it on the side of his bed.

Levy nodded her head in agreement. She couldn't deny that. Although she can't help but stare at it. He could have let her keep wearing it, at least for the night. It is still a little cold in the room, and it isn't like he was wearing it.

He noticed her stare, and he let out an amused chuckle. "If you are that cold, then I don't mind if you keep wearing it." he said.

She blushed after realizing she had been caught staring, but she shook her head. "N-no! It's fine." she lied.

Lowell just shook his head, grabbed his coat, and threw it at her. She wasn't expecting him to throw it, so it hit her in the face, almost knocking her off the bed. She pushed herself up, and she sent him a small glare. However, he was already laying down on his bed.

"You can give it back tomorrow." he said, his voice muffled by his pillow. "Just don't mess it up."

Levy sighed, getting up to turn off the lights. She doesn't understand how he can fall asleep so easily. She sat back down on her bed, wrapping his coat around her once more. She immediately felt warm, and she laid back on her bed. For some reason, with his coat wrapped around her, she feels protected. Not only does she feel warm on the outside, but she also feels warm on the inside. She fell asleep without much trouble, and without noticing the pair of eyes staring at her.

As she fell asleep, Lowell let out a quiet sigh and rolled onto his other side. His heart is beating faster than ever before. Why? Why does he always feel like this around her? He still can't believe that he may be in love with Levy. They've only just met, yet he has enjoyed spending so much time with her, more than he has with anyone else.

He shook his head to clear it of his thoughts. He can't be thinking about this now. He needs to focus on resting and coming up with a plan for tomorrow.

However, for the rest of the night, the only thing he was able to think about was Levy, and how close they were during the picnic. Unlike Levy, he isn't going to get much sleep at all, tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, they got dressed and met up with the Pokémon near the forest. None of them saw the mayor, but they also weren't expecting to see him. After what happened the night prior, they didn't expect him to go with them to help Electrike's group, and they are alright with that. They would rather not have him getting in their way or criticizing their plans.

When Lowell first saw Greninja, they exchanged a brief glance and nodded their heads at each other. He can tell that Greninja is feeling better, and that makes him happy. Although he will wait to ask him about it later, so that he doesn't distract him from their current objective.

Right now, Electrike and his friends are leading him, Greninja, and Levy through the forest. His other Pokémon are taking a rest in their poke balls, in case they need to fight, later.

Wanting to know a bit more about who they will end up facing, Levy asked Electrike. "Can you tell us about the group of Pokémon that has been threatening you?" she asked.

Electrike nodded his head in confirmation. "Yeah. There are three of them, but each of them are far too strong for any of us to handle by ourselves. The leader of the group is a Machamp, and his two buddies are Gurdur and Toxicroak. We tried to fight against them, at first, but we stood no match." he explained.

Lowell frowned and scratched the tip of his chin in thought. "All three of them are fighting-types, which gives us the advantage, considering we have three flying-types and a psychic-type on our side. None of which are pushovers, either." he stated.

However, Murkrow wasn't happy that he was left out of the count. "Hey! I'm here too!" he exclaimed, getting a small laugh out of the others.

"Of course. I didn't forget about you, Murkrow. Although, I would prefer it if you and the others stay out of the way during the fight." Lowell responded.

"Why?" Mankey asked, as he hopped from tree to tree.

Patrat nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. These are our friends. We want to help, too." he stated.

Greninja nodded his head in understanding. "Of course. It is only natural that you want to help your friends, but like you already said, you are no match for these Pokémon. You could all get badly hurt." he replied.

This didn't change their minds, though. "Who cares?" Electrike asked. "We won't just sit by and watch as other people fight our battle for us. If you are going to fight, then we are going to fight." he said, determination flashing in his eyes.

Lowell sighed, but he nodded his head. He can't expect them to sit by and watch. As much as he would like for them to stay out of harm's way, if they are insistent on fighting along-side them, then there is nothing he can do about it.

"Alright." he said, causing the smaller Pokémon to cheer. "However, I would prefer it if you don't take any unnecessary risks. Just don't get too in over your head."

Murkrow flew over to him and perched on his shoulder. "Don't worry about us. We may not be the strongest, but we won't give up if it means keeping our friends safe." he reassured.

Levy looked at the group of Pokémon with admiration. Even though they know they aren't strong enough to fight the others on their own, they don't give up. They are willing to risk their own safety to protect their friends, and it reminds her a lot of Lowell, his Pokémon, and the rest of Fairy Tail. This isn't going to be easy, but she knows that if they work together, everything will turn out alright.

However, she isn't sure what she can do to help. "Lowell, is there anything I should know about the Pokémon we will be up against?" she asked. She needs every bit of information that she can get.

He sighed. "Well, since you aren't much of a close-range fighter, you should stay closer to the back. You give support from a distance, and if one of them get too close to Electrike's friends, then you push them back with everything you have. You should also watch out for poison-based attacks from Toxicroak, and Gurdur will most likely know a rock-type move. I recommend that you doge when possible, and then counter with your spells." he explained.

She nodded her head in understanding. She was already expecting them to have a variety of different abilities, after seeing what Lowell's Pokémon can do. The poison will most likely be the biggest threat for her, so she needs to be weary of that. Although she also needs to worry about if they get in too close. She isn't great with hand-to-hand combat. She would lose, if it came down to that.

"What if one of them gets too close, and I can't stop them with my magic?" she asked, a little worried.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry too much about that. I will have Charizard stay back with you, in case you need help." he said. He realized that she is still nervous, so he gave her a reassuring smile. "Calm down. I promise you that Charizard will make sure that no one gets severely injured." he reassured. He can be destructive when not thinking about it, but he is still very protective and kind. He won't let a single one of the smaller Pokémon get hurt, if he can help it.

She shook her head, but it was directed at herself. Why is she so worried? Lowell can't use any spells yet, and he isn't worried. She needs to trust in her own abilities, as well as in Lowell and the Pokémon.

Deciding to cast her worries to the side for now, she chose to change the subject. "So, how much further to your friends?" Levy asked.

Electrike looked back at her from his spot in the front of the of the group. "It shouldn't be too much farther ahead. We'll be there in a couple minutes." he responded.

* * *

Like Electrike said, they arrived at his and his friends' home in less than ten minutes. It is a flat, grassy clearing in the middle of the forest. There is a small pond in the center of the clearing, and they are surrounded by tall trees. There are a couple Pokémon drinking from or swimming in the pond, and others are laying in the warm grass.

Several Pokémon heard footsteps coming closer, and they turned to see their friends return, along with humans. They frowned when they thought that they must have been caught, and that the humans were mad at them. Some ran to hide behind trees, while some stood up and glared at Lowell and Levy. They weren't going to let them hurt their friends without a fight, even if they lose.

Seeing the tension among them, Lowell raised his hands above his head. "We mean no harm." he stated. However, the Pokémon didn't believe him. "We know of the trouble Machamp and his friends have been giving you, and we are here to help."

The Pokémon in the clearing looked towards Electrike for a confirmation. They see him as their leader, so if he says they can be trusted, then they will believe him.

"Listen to the human." Electrike stated. "He and his friends have only come to help, in return that we stop stealing from the nearby town."

However, a young Eevee stepped forward. "Then how will we feed ourselves?" she asked. "There are no berries around here, and whatever other food we managed to find, Machamp and his friends took that, as well."

Lowell stepped forward, keeping a small distance away from the other Pokémon. He doesn't want to startle any of them by mistake. "I know that you are all hungry, but so are the people of Camellia Town. No matter what the situation is, stealing is never called for. I will figure out something to solve the food problem, I promise. However, first we need to worry about taking care of Machamp. If they are still giving you trouble, it doesn't matter if we come up with a solution for the food problem, or not." he explained.

The Pokémon seemed to accept the answer, for now, at least, and they stopped glaring at him. However, most of them kept an eye on him. They don't entirely trust humans, and this isn't any different.

Greninja looked up at Murkrow. "When do you think Machamp will get here?" he asked.

"It should be soon. He and his friends normally show up early in the morning, after we come back from the town. They take most of the food we steal, and then they leave." he explained, a small frown forming on his face. "However, they won't leave willingly, today. There will be a fight, no matter how you see it. They won't be happy, one bit."

Greninja shrugged his shoulders. "I don't want them to be. They drove you all to stealing from innocent children and their families, and I won't stand for such a thing." he said.

Electrike nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. We'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget." he declared with a grin on his face.

"Need I remind you, we will defeat them, but we won't hurt them too badly." Lowell reminded. He understands that they won't be able to get out of this without a fight, but that doesn't mean that he wants to hurt them. If given a choice, he would choose diplomacy, but by the way they talk about them, he doubts that they will listen to reason. However, he won't be the one to strike first. He'll wait for them to make the first move. After that, then he will counter.

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Lowell's right. We would be no better than Machamp and his friends if we did that." she responded.

Greninja sighed and nodded his head in agreeance. "Of course. I know." he said. As much as he would like to pummel them into the ground, he knows that it isn't the right thing to do. He will exert his self-control to make sure he doesn't mess up. However, if they don't back down, then it is their fault if they get hurt.

Electrike just nodded and walked off with his friends. They want to make sure that the other Pokémon are in a safe place, before the fight starts. Lowell turned to face Levy.

"I suggest you go with them." he said. "I am sure that Machamp and the others will be getting here soon. You need to be ready to protect the Pokémon."

"Right." she said, nodding her head. "I'll do my best."

She turned to leave, and Lowell took out a poke ball. He threw it, and Charizard appeared in front of him. He heard his orders from inside the poke ball, so he is already following Levy to the others. He gave his trainer and Greninja a confident thumbs up before leaving.

The trainer and Pokémon looked at each other. They are both ready to get this over with. All they need to do now is wait for the other Pokemon to show up.

* * *

Levy followed the others to a hollowed-out tree not too far from the clearing. They can still see Lowell and Greninja, but they are at least safe from the action. Electrike and Murkrow returned to the clearing to help Lowell and Greninja, while the others stayed behind. Charizard took up a defensive position in front of the tree, while Levy sat on the ground, across from the other Pokemon.

They are still looking at her with weary eyes, but they aren't voicing any concerns. Levy can tell that they don't fully trust her, and she wants to change that, but she isn't sure how. She doesn't want to accidentally upset them.

Then she noticed a small Pokemon, sitting further away from the others. It is a Ralts, Gardevoir's first stage. He has his head tilted downwards with a sad expression on his face. It is clear that he doesn't have very many friends in the group. That, or he just prefers to be by himself.

This remined her a little of Lowell. She frowned a little, before her frown turned to a small smile. She may just make things worse, but she wants to at least try to help him.

She scooted closer to him, which resulted in him backing away from her. He isn't weary about her like the others are, but he just wants to be left alone. He doesn't like attention very much.

Levy noticed his discomfort, so she stopped when she was a couple feet away from him. She looked down at him and gave him a reassuring smile. "You don't need to be so nervous around me. I won't bite." she joked.

Ralts briefly looked up at her and nodded his head before looking back down. Levy sighed and crossed her arms underneath her chest. _"It is going to be harder to get him to talk than I expected."_ she thought.

However, she tried again. "My name is Levy." she greeted. "What is your name? I don't know much about Pokemon, so I don't know the different names." she explained.

Ralts didn't look away from the ground, but he didn't want to be rude. "Ralts." he said quietly.

Levy heard, but she was hoping that this would get him to loosen up a bit. She has a big grin on her face. "Sorry. Could you repeat that again? I couldn't hear you."

"Ralts." he repeated, a bit louder.

She pretended like she still couldn't hear him, and he began to get a little angry. He stood up from his spot and sent her a small glare. "My name is Ralts!" he exclaimed, throwing his small arms in the air.

For some reason, seeing him get mad made him even cuter, and she couldn't help but giggle. He seemed confused at first, but then he realized what was going on, and he began to chuckle sheepishly with a small shade of red rushing to his cheeks.

"Oh." he responded.

Levy continued to laugh, with a big smile on her face. "See? Talking to me isn't so bad, right?" she asked.

He thought about it for a moment. It wasn't, actually. While he still feels a little nervous around her and the others, he doesn't mind talking to her, too much. It could've been worse than what it was.

He let out a sigh and nodded his head. "I guess not." he replied curtly.

Charizard looked back at them and shook his head. At least they aren't letting themselves be overcome by worry. He was about to make a comment, but there was suddenly a loud explosion from the clearing, and a cloud of dust kicked up.

"Look alive." he said in a serious tone. "They must be here."

* * *

In the clearing, Greninja and the others jumped out of the way of a Sludge Bomb attack. The dust was kicked up, blocking their vision. However, Murkrow flapped his wings, creating a strong gust of wind to get rid of it.

Once their vision was restored, they noticed three rather large figures standing in front of them. One of them is a buff Pokemon with purple muscle protruding from its body, a red nose, and is holding a metal beam above his head. The one standing beside him is a blue frog with long, red spikes on the back of its hands, and a red sack underneath its chin.

They were both pushed out of the way, revealing a tall, muscular Pokemon with four arms, wearing a champion's belt around his waist. He looked down on Lowell and the other Pokemon with a small, angry smirk on his face.

"So, you went to get help, huh?" Machamp asked, irritated.

The poison frog Pokemon next to him snickered. "That was a big mistake." he commented.

Gurdurr nodded his head in agreement, slamming his steel beam into the ground, making the ground shake. "A couple of humans and their Pokemon won't be enough to stop us." he said with a big grin.

Electrike, Murkrow, and Greninja got in battle positions, while Lowell stood back and looked at the Pokemon standing against them. All three of them might be a little challenge, but it shouldn't prove to be too difficult.

"We don't have to fight, you know." Lowell said. "If you agree to leave these Pokemon alone, then we can work something out."

However, Machamp just let out a hearty laugh. "Like hell we will." he responded. "How else are we going to get food? They have been stealing from that town, and there hasn't been much food to find in the woods. Do you expect us to just starve?" he asked angrily.

Lowell sighed. "No, I don't. However, that doesn't mean that- "he was interrupted by the sound of Gurdurr's beam hitting the ground, again.

"We've had enough of your talking!" he yelled, looking towards his leader. "What do you say, Machamp? How about we teach these punks a lesson?" he suggested.

Machamp smirked and nodded his head in agreement, flexing his muscular arms. "Right." he agreed. He then sent Toxicroak a look, receiving a nod in return.

Toxicroak's cheeks began to puff up and the sack underneath his chin got slightly bigger. " **Sludge Bomb!** " He shot poisonous bombs from his mouth towards them, however, Electrike jumped in front of everyone. His fur began to crackle with electricity, much stronger than when he was fighting against Greninja and the others.

" **Thunderbolt!** " A large bolt of lightning rushed towards the incoming Sludge Bomb attack, colliding in mid-air, creating a small explosion that blocked their vision momentarily.

Knowing that their opponents would use this to their advantage, Lowell took out another poke ball and threw it. Dragonite appeared, and without hesitation she flapped her large wings, creating a powerful gust of wind that blew away the smoke and even knocked back Gurdurr, who was charging towards them. Lowell can't see any signs of Toxicroak or Machamp. They must've used the smoke to get past them.

A shadow loomed over Lowell's shoulder, and when he turned around, he saw Machamp descending on him. His arms are in the shape of an 'X.'

" **Cross Chop!** "

His attack made contact, but it wasn't with Lowell. Greninja blocked Machamp's arms with a glowing foot, before pushing him away from the pair. Greninja then launched himself forward, kicking Machamp in the face. The force was enough to send Machamp sliding several feet back. That wasn't enough to take him out, but it still did quite a bit of damage, since Aerial Ace was super effective.

Machamp looked at Greninja with an angry smirk on his face. "Not bad, but I am just getting started." he announced.

Greninja glared at him from a distance. "I won't let you get away with everything you have done. Though I was no different than you in the past, I am determined to show people and Pokemon like you the error of your ways." he announced, charging towards the superpower Pokemon.

Machamp snickered at the ninja Pokemon. "You may have gotten one good hit in, but it won't happen aga- "he was silenced after witnessing Greninja disappear from his field of vision.

He looked around, perplexed. He turned around, only to find empty space. "Where the hell did he go?" Machamp asked himself.

Suddenly, he felt something sharp and cool hit him in the back. There was a small explosion of water, causing him to stumble forward a bit. Machamp tried to find the one who attacked him, but he noticed the green blur charging towards him. By the time he noticed, it was too late for him to move out the way.

" **Quick Attack!** " Electrike announced. He slammed head-first into Machamp's chest, effectively knocking him back. However, it didn't do much damage, and it only managed to annoy Machamp even more.

Machamp planted his feet firmly in the ground, creating an impression in the ground and stopping himself. He got a firm grip on Electrike, and he spun him around, gaining momentum. Once he collected enough speed and momentum, he lifted Electrike over his head.

" **Vital Throw!** "

He was just about to slam Electrike on the ground, when suddenly Greninja sped past them, cutting into Machamp's right shoulder with a Night Slash. Machamp let out a small grunt of pain as he loosened his grip on Electrike, allowing the lightning Pokemon to escape and land safely on the ground.

Greninja and Electrike stand in front of Lowell, across from an angry Machamp. He is furious that he is letting a bunch of pipsqueaks get in his way. However, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Toxicroak was heading towards Levy and the others. A small smirk appeared on his face.

"It seems like you failed in trying to get them away from us." he stated triumphantly. "Did you really think that you could keep them safe?"

"Did you really think that we would leave them unprotected?" Greninja countered. "We may be here fighting you, but Charizard and Levy will make sure that the Pokemon remain safe." he stated confidently.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "If I were you, I would pay more attention to the battle at hand." he advised Machamp. "The moment that you get overconfident is the moment that you lose any advantage that you may have had."

"You should take your own advice." Machamp replied. "I doubt that an overgrown, fire-breathing lizard and a bite-sized human could stand any match for Toxicroak."

Lowell sighed and shook his head. It isn't wise to judge an opponent based on their appearance or size. Charizard are far more than capable enough to defeat Toxicroak, and Levy may not be the strongest of fighters, but she can hold her own. He is confident that they can protect the Pokemon, as well as keep themselves safe.

"You'll learn that it is never wise to underestimate your opponent." he declared, sharing a look with Greninja. "Let's show him that we are not to be taken lightly." he said, to which Greninja nodded his head in agreeance.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dragonite and Murkrow are currently facing off against Gurdurr. The muscular Pokemon is making it difficult for Murkrow to get close by swinging his large, steel beam around. One good hit from that, and he is more than likely going to be out of the fight. There is no way that his frail body could take a hit from that. So, instead of getting in close, he flew above Gurdurr's head, launching Shadow Balls down at him. Despite his pure strength, he lacks the speed to escape them, and he was bombarded by the dark spheres, creating a large cloud of smoke that hid him from their view.

Dragonite watched from a distance, not convinced that was enough to bring Gurdurr down. The smoke took a couple of moments to pass, but when it did, it revealed a chuckling Gurdurr. His body is lightly bruised and scratched, but other than that, he is relatively unharmed.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" he asked sarcastically.

Murkrow sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with his wing. "W-well, I um…I thought that it would do more than it actually did. Heh."

Gurdurr laughed and focused his attention on Dragonite. "I hope that you will be more of a challenge."

A low growl escaped Dragonite's lips. "You better believe it." she responded. There is no way that she is going to lose to the likes of him. She raised her wings, before flying towards Gurdurr at an incredible speed.

" **Stone Edge!** "

Gurdurr slammed his metal beam into the ground in front of him, causing large, blue pillars of stone to rise from the ground.

Dragonite flew a bit higher to avoid the pillars, but they just grew taller, and one of them almost hit one of her wings. She continued to avoid the pillars of stone until she reached the last one. She held out her arms, and her claws became coated in a green, draconic energy, effectively extending them. She sliced through the last pillar, cutting it in half, before continuing towards Gurdurr.

Gurdurr began to charge forward, prepared to meet Dragonite half-way. However, he was hit in the back by a sharp blade of wind. He was about to turn around and attack Murkrow, knowing the he was behind that last attack, but he needed to keep his focus on Dragonite. He reeled his fist back, and it began to glow orange.

" **Rock Smash!** "

" **Dragon Claw!** "

Gurdurr's fist and Dragonite's claw collided, creating a shockwave the rippled through the air. The force behind their attacks were enough to blow the leaves off nearby trees, and it nearly knocked Murkrow out of the air, but he was able to steady himself.

Both Pokemon were pushed back a couple feet, before they both rushed at the other again. They continued to exchange blows, slowly chipping the other down. However, neither of them has been able to land a significant hit on the other, yet.

Dragonite flew higher up to avoid getting hit in the chest. She did a small flip mid-air, and then she slammed her tail down hard on Gurdurr's head. The muscular Pokemon let out a grunt of pain, before staggering back. He glared up at Dragonite, who is currently crossing her arms over her chest.

"Was I enough of a challenge for you?" she asked with a sarcastic smirk on her face.

Gurdurr growled, grabbing his steel beam with both hands. "How dare you mock me! I'll show you!" he yelled as he ran towards her.

Dragonite didn't move. She continued to just hover above the ground, waiting for Gurdurr to reach her. She is beginning to have fun messing with him, a little bit. He was so cocky, and now he is losing.

The muscular Pokemon leaped into the air, raising the beam over his head. " _I'll show that dragon that it was a mistake to fight me!_ " he thought.

" **Brick Break!** "

He brought his beam down on Dragonite, but she dodged, and he ended up hitting the ground. The ground shook violently, stirring up a cloud of dust. He couldn't see what was going on, and Dragonite used that chance to get behind Gurdurr.

She grabbed onto one of his arms, and she spun him around, collecting momentum. She released him, and he went flying into a tree. The force caused the trunk of the tree to break, as well as several more behind it. Gurdurr finally stopped whenever he landed on a boulder.

Murkrow gawked at the wreckage that Dragonite just caused. _"I am so glad that I didn't have to fight her back in Camellia Town."_ he thought.

Gurdurr drug himself out the impression he left in the boulder, forcing himself to stay standing. Compared to earlier, his body is now full of large cuts and big bruises. He wasn't expecting her to be so strong. The only person who has ever bested him in a fight before was Machamp. He didn't think he would find someone who put even him to shame.

He glared when he saw Dragonite flying towards him. He went to pick up his beam, but then he realized that he had dropped it somewhere in the forest.

Dragonite landed in front of him, making sure not to give him any opening to run. "Do you give up?" she asked. "As much fun as that was, I would rather not hurt you anymore than I already have. However, if you insist on fighting…" Her body began to crackle with electricity. "I don't mind rendering you unable to move." she said with a cold tone in her voice.

Gurdurr looked at Dragonite in fear, weighing his options. As much as he hates to admit defeat, he stands no chance against her. If he were to continue, he would only embarrass himself further.

He sighed, raising both his arms above his head in resignation. "Alright. Fine, I give up." he admitted hesitantly.

Dragonite smiled and picked him up, tossing him over her shoulder. He tried to protest, but she immediately shut him up.

"If you try anything, then I can always go back to beating you senselessly." she said without remorse. Of course, this shut him up quick. "That's what I thought."

She began to head back to the field, wanting to see how the others are doing.

* * *

Levy watched as the first two fights broke out. She was amazed as she witnessed the displays of Lowell's Pokemon, as well as Machamp and Gurdurr. They all seem so serious. _"Is this what a Pokemon battle is like?"_ she thought.

She was snapped out of her thoughts once she noticed the blue and purple blur heading towards her and the others. She recognized it as Toxicroak. "He must've gotten past them using the smoke." she said to Charizard, who nodded his head in agreement. He is already preparing for a fight.

"Just stay back and protect the Pokemon. I will deal with him." he declared.

She nodded her head in understanding, and she backed up in front of the hollowed tree. Levy looked back, and she noticed that most of the Pokemon were shaking with fear, especially Ralts. This doesn't surprise her. These Pokemon have been threatening them, so it is only natural that they are scared. Attempting to comfort them, she gave them a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you." she said confidently.

"I wouldn't say that so soon, if I were you." Toxicroak advised.

Suddenly, he leapt high into the air, looking down on then. His cheeks puffed up and the sack underneath his chin began to expand. Charizard recognized this from earlier, so he prepared to counter.

" **Sludge Bomb!** "

The poisonous bombs descended upon them, but Charizard remained calm. He took a deep breath, leaning his head back.

" **Flamethrower!** "

A powerful torrent of flames escaped his mouth, burning the Sludge Bomb attack before it could reach any of them. The flames continued to advance, and Toxicroak was almost hit. However, he pivoted his body while in mid-air, and he spiraled on the side of the flames while descending from the air.

The spikes on Toxicroak's hands began to glow purple, and he dove straight for Charizard.

" **Poison Jab!** "

He jabbed forward with his right hand, but Charizard moved out of the way. He landed and turned on his heel, ready to strike at Charizard again, but he was swiped away by a draconic, green claw.

He slid a couple feet back, stopping just in front of a tree. Charizard flew towards him, and a small smirk appeared on his face. Just as Charizard was about to reach him, he disappeared, causing Charizard to come to a stop and check his surroundings.

As Charizard looked around, he got a bad feeling. He knows that Toxicroak is still nearby, but it infuriates him to not know where.

" **Sucker Punch.** "

Toxicroak reappeared behind him, his fists covered in a dark energy. He punched Charizard hard in the back, earning a pained grunt from the fire-type, and knocking him into the tree. Charizard turned around, but he was immediately hit with a Sludge Bomb attack, making him stumble back, his vision now blocked by the sludge.

Toxicroak took off in a dash towards Levy and the Pokemon, now that he had the main threat distracted. He raised his arms, covering the spikes on his hands in poison once more. He was about to strike her, when she suddenly created fire using her Solid Script Magic.

He jumped out of the way, and he watched as one of the trees behind him burst into flames. He turned back around, narrowing his eyes at her. He heard about these mages, but he wasn't expecting the girl to be one. A sinister smirk formed on his lips. _"This may be more fun than I thought."_

Levy looked from Toxicroak to Charizard, who is currently trying to get the sludge out of his eyes. She returned her attention to Toxicroak with narrowed eyes. She is going to have to keep him busy until Charizard can help her.

She watched as the toxic mouth Pokemon stalked his way towards her. He is trying to intimidate her, but she isn't going to let that happen. He doesn't scare her nearly as much as that Gyarados did.

Seeing that she wasn't going to back down, Toxicroak laughed. "Do you really think that you can beat me?" he asked.

She was a little hesitant to answer at first, considering that she isn't as strong as everyone else. However, she took one look at the cowering Pokemon behind her, and she realized why she was fighting to begin with. She turned back around, confidence burning in her eyes.

He saw the look in her eyes, and he scoffed. He took a quick look behind him, and he noticed that Charizard was almost done cleaning his eyes. _"I need to be quick about this."_ he thought, turning back to Levy.

She glared at him as he ran towards her. He isn't after her. He is after the Pokemon she is protecting. As long as she can keep him at a distance, they should be fine. She doesn't need to beat him. She just needs to buy a little more time.

" **Solid Script: Iron!** "

A block of solid iron appeared above Toxicroak's head, and it would've fallen on top of him, if he hadn't seen the shadow it casted. He increased his speed, causing the block of iron to crash to the ground with a loud thud. Several more blocks of iron appeared above him, but he dodged each one of them like the first. Soon enough, he was several feet away from her.

" **Solid Script: Lightning!** "

The lightning flew towards Toxicroak, but he used Sludge Bomb, creating a small explosion between them. Levy used her arms to cover her face from the smoke, and that is when he appeared in front of her.

Levy moved her arms, and she saw the toxic mouth Pokemon standing in front of her, spikes ready to strike. For a moment, she was too frightened to move. However, she managed to get her feet to move just before he struck her.

She stepped to the side, and his spike only grazed her right arm, but it was enough to affect her with the poison. She winced a little when she was cut, and she knew that something wasn't right. The cut hurt, but it hurt way more than it should.

Toxicroak walked past her with a smirk on his face. _"She won't be a problem, anymore."_ he thought.

The Pokemon watched as Toxicroak advanced towards them, but Ralts couldn't stop staring at Levy. The poison is quickly beginning to take an effect on her, and she is starting to get weaker every second that passes. She went out of her way to talk to him, as well as to protect them, and now she is in pain. He balled up his tiny hands into fists. He wants to help, but how?

Toxicroak laughed as he faced the frightened Pokemon. "It looks like that help wasn't much of a difference." he said. He was about to attack them, but a flaming projectile hit him in the back, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.

He stood back up, wincing from the burn on his back. He turned around and he glared at the blue-haired girl, keeping herself up on one knee, panting. There is a hint of purple on her forehead, and purple static covered her body, taking more damage from the poison.

Toxicroak growled at her. "Are you seriously still fighting?" he asked. "My poison will continue to drain you of your energy until you can hardly move. Why are you still fighting?"

She glared at him, despite the pain shooting through her body. He is right. She can still move around now, but she can feel her energy slowly leaving her. It won't be too long before she can't hold herself up, anymore.

"I won't let you hurt them." she announced.

Toxicroak sighed, before walking back to her. "If you insist, then I will gladly finish you off first." he said.

He walked towards her, his hand glowing orange. Levy tried to stand up, but she ended up falling back down to one knee. Before she knew it, Toxicroak was standing right in front of her, his hand about to strike.

" **Brick Break!** "

Levy closed her eyes, waiting for the blow to come. However, it never came. Confused, she opened her eyes, and she gasped when she saw Toxicroak covered in a blue light, floating above the ground. She recognized that move from before. She looked past Toxicroak, and she saw Ralts covered in a similar blue light, concentrating.

Toxicroak tried to break free, but he couldn't. Ralts' Confusion kept him completely immobile. "Let me go, you brat!" he yelled. However, Ralts didn't listen. Isn't wasn't much, but he would at least keep him from hurting her any more than he already did.

This made a weak smile form on Levy's lips. She can tell that he is still scared, but he is putting that to the side so that he can help her.

Suddenly, a loud stomp caught Toxicroak's attention. He turned his head as much as he could, and his eyes widened in fear when he saw an angry Charizard heading his way. _"Ah shi-!"_

Toxicroak was decked in the face, courtesy of Charizard's Mega Punch. Ralts released his Confusion, and Toxicroak was sent flying through several trees. However, Charizard wasn't done. He went over to where Toxicroak was laying on the ground, and he grabbed him by the arm.

"That was for the sludge in my eyes!" he stated before throwing him into the air. He flew up, and he slammed his tail down hard onto his chest, sending him crashing into the ground. "And that was for hurting Levy!"

Toxicroak tried to move, but his body was in too much pain. The last thing that he saw before going unconscious was an angry glare from Charizard.

A small sigh left Charizard's mouth, and he turned his attention to Levy, who is having a hard time keeping herself up. This made him frown. _"Lowell isn't going to be happy about this."_ he thought. He went over to Levy's side, and Ralts quickly followed him.

"Are you alright?" Ralts asked, concerned.

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it is obvious that she is in pain. "D-don't worry. I'm f-fine." she said.

Charizard sighed and shook his head. "No. You are not fine. We need to get you to Lowell. He should have something to cure the poison." he said, picking her up in his arms.

"What about him?" Ralts asked, pointing towards Toxicroak.

Charizard just shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt he will be moving for a while. We can come back for him later." he said. Ralts just nodded his head in agreement, and he and the other Pokemon began to return to the clearing with Charizard carrying Levy.

* * *

Greninja used Machamp's back as a springboard, launching himself higher into the air. He threw a Water Shuriken at him, but Machamp destroyed it with a single fist. Machamp then heard a jolt of electricity behind him, and he moved out of the way in time to avoid Electrike's Spark attack.

The electricity covering Electrike's body disappeared, and that is when he saw the shadow looming over him.

" **Cross Chop!** "

The powerful fighting-type move hit Electrike hard in the stomach, sending him flying towards Greninja. Greninja caught him while still in the air, before landing and gently placing him on the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Electrike slowly stood back up, giving him a small nod. He is covered in bruises, while Greninja only has a few minor scrapes and bruises here and there. "I'll survive." he responded. He looked back up at Machamp, who is smirking at them. "He is definitely tough."

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. He increased his defense using Bulk Up, and that also increased his attack greatly. Whatever hits they have managed to land on the superpower Pokemon aren't doing as much damage, and it is getting harder for them to get close to him without getting hit.

Lowell let out a small growl. Things are going to start to get bad quickly if they don't turn things around. He went to grab Gardevoir's poke ball, but Greninja stopped him.

"I am going to deal with him, myself!" he declared.

Lowell looked at Greninja in slight shock. He knows that Greninja can do it himself, but it would make more sense to have Gardevoir help. She doesn't use physical attacks like Greninja, so it would only make sense for her to help. However, he trusts Greninja, and he knows that he feels like he needs to do this.

He sent Greninja a small nod. "Alright, then. We'll just have to kick things up a notch. Greninja, **Aerial Ace!** " he ordered.

"Right." the ninja Pokemon said. He leapt towards Machamp, his legs glowing white.

The superpower Pokemon scoffed. "Do you really think that I will fall for this again?" he asked. Greninja appeared in front of Machamp, and the muscular fighting-type Pokemon tried to hit him with a Cross Chop. However, Greninja disappeared and reappeared behind him. Greninja was about to kick him in the back, but Machamp expected this, and he grabbed Greninja's leg.

Machamp was about to throw Greninja, but Electrike used Quick Attack, and he tackled him directly in the back. It didn't hurt, much, but it was enough to catch him off-guard, and make him let go of Greninja.

Greninja jumped out of Machamp's hold, and he spin-kicked him in the back of the head, making him stumble forward. Once again, Greninja used Aerial Ace, and he axe-kicked Machamp in the head, slamming his body hard in the ground, which created a decent-sized crater.

After a moment, Machamp groaned and pushed himself off the ground, rubbing the back of his head with one of his four hands. He looked up, and he was then zapped by a powerful Thunderbolt attack from Electrike. He tried to move, but the electricity stunned him.

When the electric-type attack finally ceased, Greninja rushed forward, again. Two purple needles appeared in his hands, and he sliced away at Machamp. He tried to counter, but Greninja was just too fast for him, and his constant attacks were beginning to wear him down. Machamp landed on one knee, using his arms to hold himself up.

"Greninja, use **Water Shuriken** to finish things up!" Lowell ordered.

Greninja created a Water Shuriken, this time being a little bigger than normal. He threw it, and Electrike launched another Thunderbolt attack at the same time. The two attacks combined, creating a water shuriken crackling with powerful electricity. It made contact with Machamp, and he let out a scream of pain as he was engulfed in a small explosion. Smoke covered the area, and when it cleared away, it revealed him lying on the ground, unconscious.

Greninja and Electrike let out a small sigh of relief, while Lowell just smiled. They managed to defeat the boss. Hopefully, the others were able to defeat his friends.

"Perfect timing." a familiar voice called out. Lowell turned around, and he saw Dragonite carrying a conscious Gurdurr over her shoulder. Murkrow is flying not far behind her. "It seems like we both defeated our opponents. Now all we need to do is wait for the others."

Not too long after she said that, they could see Charizard making his way to the clearing, the Pokemon following not far behind him. However, what made Lowell nervous was when he saw Charizard carrying Levy in his arms. He can't tell what is wrong with her, but he knows that she is in pain.

They ran over to Charizard and the others, and he laid her gently on the ground. Lowell kneeled next to her, and he noticed the odd fever she seems to have. He immediately recognized it. "What happened with Toxicroak?" he asked.

"He used Sludge Bomb, and it got stuck in my eyes. While I was trying to clean my eyes, Levy was holding him off. However, he crazy her with his Poison Jab. I knocked him out, and he is currently unconscious where we left him." Charizard explained.

Lowell nodded in understanding, and he quickly grabbed his back and started looking through it. Eventually, he came across a pink, heart-shaped berry. It is a Pecha Berry, which is supposed to cure poison.

He gently lifted her head up, and he held the berry close to her lips. She looked at him, and he gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Just eat this, and the poison will go away." he told her.

She took a small bite, and before long she had eaten the entire berry. It took a couple of seconds to work, but the poison started to leave her system. She is going to feel weak for a little while, but that should be fixed with some rest, as well as an Oran Berry.

Greninja seemed to know what Lowell was thinking, and he shrugged his shoulders. He didn't mind giving up an Oran Berry. She needs it more than he does.

He gave Levy the Oran Berry, and she quickly ate it. "Once we get back to Camellia Town, you should rest for a little while." he said, to which she nodded her head.

"I can take her there now, if you want." Charizard suggested. "I doubt that those three will be causing any more trouble anytime soon, so I don't think I will be needed, here." he said.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding. "Yeah. That may be a good idea."

Lowell and Greninja helped Levy climb on top of Charizard since she is still feeling weak, and Charizard took off, slowly. He doesn't want to make her fall by accident.

Ralts still seems to be worried about Levy, but he knows that she will be alright, now that the poison is gone. However, he still wants to thank her for what she did for them.

Electrike and the other Pokemon gathered in front of Lowell, Greninja, and Dragonite. "I want to thank you for helping us deal with Machamp and the others. Now that they are gone, things should be a lot less stressful around here." he said, to which Murkrow nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes. However, what are we going to do about the food situation?" he asked. "We can't keep stealing from the town, but what else are we going to do?"

Lowell sighed and scratched his chin in thought. He isn't wrong. They solved one part of the problem, but there is still another part that needs to be dealt with.

"Where did you get those berries from?" Ralts asked, referring to the Oran and Pecha berries he gave to Levy.

Lowell looked down at the small Pokemon. "Well, I brought them with me when I came from Kalos. If only they grew naturally in Fiore, because normally they grow pretty quickl- "he stopped talking when he realized how stupid he has been, and he face-palmed with a sigh. "I can't believe that I didn't think of that, sooner." he responded.

"What do you mean?" Electrike asked.

Lowell sighed again. "Berry trees take just about a day or so to grow. After that, they grow more berries often. I still have a couple berries on me, so we can plant them, and then you can keep replanting them with the berries that grow from the trees." he explained.

Greninja looked at his trainer, with a similar dumbfounded look on his face. "You are right." he said. "How did we not realize that sooner?"

"Well, people tend to overlook the simpler ways of solving a problem." Dragonite stated, which earned a small glare from Greninja.

"You do realize that you completely overlooked that possibility, as well, right?" he asked.

Dragonite got right up in Greninja's face. "Not everyone is perfect!" she exclaimed, making everyone chuckle. She sighed. "Why don't we just help them plant the berries, so that we can forget that any of this happen?" she suggested, trying to avoid embarrassing herself even more.

They did like she said, and they spent almost an hour planting berries. Even Gurdurr helped, apologizing for what he did. Shortly after, his friends woke up, and they also apologized, and the Pokemon forgave them. They agreed to leave the Pokemon alone, and Electrike told them that if they stopped treating them badly, that they could share the berries. After all, they were all having the same problem, so it was the right thing to do.

Of course, Greninja had a hard time forgiving Machamp, but he eventually got over it, and the two shared a handshake as a sign of good-will. At least he and his friends learned their lesson early on, so that they don't make the same mistakes he did.

After planting the berries, Lowell and the others decided to return to the town. Dragonite returned to her poke ball, and Greninja walked alongside Lowell. However, someone else joined them. Ralts came up to them and told them that he wanted to thank Levy, which they didn't see any problem with, so they agreed to let him travel back to town with them.

When they finally arrived in town, they noticed that a lot of people were gathered around their hotel. They must've seen Charizard, and they wanted to know what was going on. They made their way through the crowd of people, until they saw Charizard standing in front of the doorway to the hotel. However, Levy isn't anywhere to be seen.

"Where is Levy?" Lowell asked.

"Don't worry. She is already inside, getting some rest." he responded.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding, but he also needed to ask. "Why are you still outside?" he asked.

Charizard sighed and motioned towards the door, which is much too small for him to enter. This made Lowell laugh a bit. "Would you like to go back in your poke ball?" he asked, to which Charizard nodded his head.

Charizard returned to his poke ball, and Lowell was about to go check on Levy, but he noticed someone out the corner of his eye, making him sigh. He turned to Greninja and Ralts. "You two can go see Levy, if you want. I still have something that I need to take care of." he said.

The two nodded, and they went inside the hotel. Lowell walked through the crowd, until he was face to face with the mayor, who has a small frown on his face. "So, how did it go?" he asked.

Lowell growled a little, startling the older man, a bit. "I'll have you know that it went well, aside from Levy getting hurt. We dealt with the Pokemon that were threatening Electrike and his friends, and then we dealt with the food situation." he explained.

The mayor's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" he asked.

Lowell nodded his head in confirmation. "Yes. Like I said, we were going to solve the problem. We just did it our way, and it still got results."

The mayor sighed and nodded his head. "Sorry about that. I guess I did overreact, a bit." he responded. "I have just been stressed lately, with everything going on."

Lowell sighed. "It's fine. Everything has been resolved now, so it is all water under the bridge."

A small smile appeared on Andreas' face. "Thank you. So, how long are you going to be staying in town?"

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we should get going as soon as possible, but I want to wait until morning so that Levy can get some rest." he answered.

"Of course. In that case, before you go tomorrow, stop by my office, and I will give you your payment." Andreas said, to which Lowell nodded his head in understanding. Normally, he wouldn't care about the money, but he really needs to start earning some Jewel, if he is going to pay for things himself.

Having talked to the mayor, he went back to the hotel to see how Levy is doing. Hopefully she is feeling better, having got some rest.

* * *

In the room, Levy is laying in her bed, trying to rest. Her body is still aching a bit, but she is feeling better than before. She is surprised at how fast the poison took an effect on her. She will need to ask Lowell about it more, later.

She sighed. Even though she got hurt, she is just glad that she was able to help those Pokemon.

Suddenly, the door opened. She turned her head, and she smiled when she saw Greninja enter. However, she was a little surprised to see Ralts with him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Ralts jumped up on the bed next to her, so that she could actually see him without looking down at the floor.

A small blush appeared on his cheeks, from embarrassment. "W-well, I wanted to thank you for helping us, back there." he said, avoiding her eyes. "You got hurt because of us, but you were still trying to protect us."

Levy smiled, and she pulled him closer to her, lightly hugging him. This action surprised Ralts, but he didn't complain.

"I should be thanking you." she said as she separated from the hug. "If it wasn't for you, Toxicroak would've hurt me even more. You were really brave to help like you did." she said.

He looked up at her with wide eyes. Did she just call him brave? He was always called a coward, because he would always run away instead of facing his problems. Yet, she is calling him brave. Hearing something so simple made him so happy.

Levy noticed his happiness, and she gently rubbed his head. She then looked over at Greninja. "Do you know when we are going to leave?" she asked.

He nodded his head. "Lowell wants to give you some time to rest, so if you are up for it, we will leave tomorrow morning." he responded.

She nodded her head. "Yeah. I should be alright, by then."

However, hearing that she is leaving so soon made Ralts slightly sad. He would've liked to spend some more time with her.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.

"Can I come with you?" he asked.

This shocked both Greninja and Levy. "Y-you want to come with us?" Levy asked.

Ralts nodded his head with a small smile on his face. "Yeah. I want to spend more time with you, and I also want to keep protecting you like you protected my friends and I." he said, making Levy smile.

Honestly, she doesn't mind him coming with them. He is nice, and he also saved her, so she would just feel awful to turn him down. Besides, maybe they could form a bond like Lowell and Greninja.

"Are you asking for me to be your trainer?" she asked, making she that she is understanding him correctly.

He nodded his head. "I want to get strong, so that I can protect you. I won't anything hurt you." he declared with determination, pumping his fists in the air. This made Levy giggle a little.

"What about your friends?" Greninja asked.

Ralts looked down for a moment, but he smiled. "I am sure that they will understand. I will miss them, but I think that they will be happy that I found someone that I can trust."

Suddenly, the door opened again, and Lowell walked inside. He smiled when he saw that Levy was awake. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

She smiled. "I'm doing very well, actually. Also, you will never guess what just happened." she said excitedly.

Lowell raised his brow at her. "What happened?" he asked.

"Ralts asked Levy to be his trainer." Greninja responded.

Lowell looked at the psychic-type Pokemon next to Levy, and he smiled. He wasn't expecting her to form a bond with a Pokemon so quickly, but that isn't a bad thing.

"In that case…" he took out a poke ball from his bag, and he handed it to Levy. "You'll be needing this." he said.

She took the poke ball from him, and she looked down at it for a moment. She then looked at Ralts. He has a big smile on his face.

Levy held out the poke ball for Ralts to touch. "Welcome to the family." she said happily.

Ralts tapped his hand against the poke ball, and he was engulfed in a bright, red light. The poke ball fell back in her hands, and it shook three times before stopping. She looked up at Lowell, who has a grin on his face.

"Congratulations. You just caught your first Pokemon." he stated.

She looked back down at the poke ball, and she couldn't help but smile. She is new to being a trainer, but she is going to make sure that Ralts is well taken care of. She will protect him, and he will protect her. This is a new chapter for both of their lives, and it is only just beginning.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, everyone was well-rested and ready to get going. Levy is still a little tired, but she insisted that she was feeling well enough to move around. Lowell wanted to give her more time to rest, but if she says she is fine, then he will take her word for it. Besides, they need to get back to the guild, soon. He needs to ask Master Makarov something important.

On their way out of Camellia Town, they stopped by the mayor's house. He gave them their payment, which they quickly split evenly between them. However, the mayor added an extra 100,000 Jewel, as an apology for his attitude towards them. Of course, Lowell tried to decline his offer, but the man wasn't taking no as an answer. Eventually, he accepted the money, and Levy and him both got an extra 50,000. It was more than he thought necessary, but he decided that he shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Afterwards, they arrived at the train station and bought three tickets. Once they got on the train, Ralts appeared out of his poke ball, slightly shocking Levy. He jumped up on the windowsill, and he looked out the window with fascination. He had never been on a moving vehicle, before, so this is something new to him.

"Have you ever seen a train before?" Levy asked him.

He shook his head. "I always travelled with the other Pokemon in our group, and we often avoided humans, considering that most of us didn't trust them." he explained, looking down slightly. He remembered how his friends treated them when they first showed up, and it made him a little sad. They all jumped to a conclusion, yet they were willing to go through so much trouble to help them.

Levy noticed the change in his posture, making her frown. "Are you sad to leave them?" she asked. "From what it sounds like, you have all been together for a long time."

Ralts looked back at her and shook his head. "I'll miss them, but that isn't what I'm upset about." he said.

Across from them, Greninja folded his arms over his chest. "Let me guess, you are still thinking about the way your friends treated us when you first met us?" he asked, shocking the smaller Pokemon.

"How did you guess?" Ralts asked.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders, before turning his head away. "Let's just say that I wasn't too fond of humans in the past, either." he said, referring to his time as a thief. "Still, that is in the past, now. So, the only thing that either of us can do is move on and learn from the past. Don't let this event get you down, because this is a new beginning for you, as well as Levy."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. Now that Ralts has joined you, you can start working towards becoming a trainer. After all, having a Pokemon is just the first step in becoming a trainer. There is still a lot that you must learn." he explained.

Levy smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Of course. There is so much more that I have yet to learn, and I am eager to learn." she stated happily. She isn't quite sure what she is supposed to do, but she knows that Lowell will be there to guide her. She looked over at Ralts, her smile faltering a bit.

 _"_ _I just hope that I don't mess this up. I don't want to disappoint Ralts."_ she thought. He left his friends to join her, so she doesn't want to make him regret his decision.

Suddenly, a warm hand landed on her shoulder, causing her head to snap forward. A small tint of pink appeared on her cheeks when she realized that the hand belonged to Lowell, but it went away quickly.

"Don't worry about messing up." he said, taking his hand away from her shoulder as he sat back in his seat. "When I first became a trainer, I wasn't exactly sure what to do, either. Sure, my sister gave me some pointers, and my father told me about his own travels when he was younger, but I had never experienced those things myself. It took time for me to get used to things and become a good trainer." he explained. His mood faltered a bit when he mentioned his father, but he quickly recovered.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. He wasn't perfect, by any means. He was pretty good, but it was a pretty rocky start. However, he learned rather quickly, and then the two of us started to grow closer as partners, as well as friends." he responded with a reminiscent smile on his face. "I wouldn't worry about messing up, too badly. With Lowell around, you'll have a pretty good teacher to get you through the basics, as well as some of the more complicated things about Pokemon and being a trainer."

Levy smiled, feeling reassured. She really shouldn't worry so much. She won't let herself depend on him, but she is still happy to have someone to teach her, like she does for his magic training. Having someone to guide you through something you aren't very familiar with is always reassuring.

Suddenly, she felt something hug her stomach. She looked down, and she giggled when she saw Ralts attempting to wrap his tiny arms around her. Heat began to rise to his cheeks from embarrassment. He was brave when they were fighting against Toxicroak, but he is still so awkward around people.

"I-I think that you'll make a wonderful trainer." he said, looking up at her. "You don't need to worry. I may not be strong now, but one day I will be strong enough to protect you, like you did for me and my friends. I won't let anything stand in my way!" he declared, still blushing.

This only made Levy hug him even tighter, making it a little hard for him to breathe. When she realized what she was doing, she let go of him and started laughing. Ralts sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, but he started to chuckle a little.

"That was quick." Greninja commented, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement.

Lowell smiled at the sight. "I can tell that they are going to get along just fine." he said. Not all Pokemon and their trainers are able to get along at first, and Ralts was a little shy to talk to her at first, but they are already growing closer to each other. He can tell that they are going to grow stronger, together.

* * *

Two days later, they arrived back in Magnolia Town, and Ralts is sheltered in Levy's arms. As soon as they stepped off the train, Ralts saw how many people were visiting the town, and he hid behind Levy. Although considering that he is going to spend a lot of time around the members of Fairy Tail, he will most likely learn to open up some more.

"I suggest keeping a close eye on him once we reach the guild." Greninja commented. "More than likely, if Natsu is there, he is going to try to pick a fight with him."

Ralts began to panic a little, but Lowell was quick to reassure him.

"Don't worry so much about that. If you use your Confusion to send him flying into Gray, those two will start fighting, and he'll forget all about you." Lowell said, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked.

"He's the stripper, right?" Ralts asked, making Levy giggle. They wanted to warn him about the different personalities of some of the guild members, so he wouldn't get scared. Of course, Ralts found Gray to be a little odd, when they told him that he had a stripping habit.

"Don't mind him. It's just a harmless habit." Levy said.

They continued their walk to the guild, and by the time they were able to see the guild hall, they could already hear the chaos from inside. That definitely answers whether Natsu is there or not.

They opened the doors to the guild, and they were greeted by the sight of an all-out brawl between their guildmates. Other members of the guild are finding places to avoid getting hit by flying furniture or their guildmates.

Lowell sat down at the bar, seeing as how it is the least rowdy place, at the moment. The only other people there are Mira, who is working behind the counter, and Cana, who is sitting on a stool and drinking booze. He doesn't agree with drinking so much alcohol, but she is at least somewhat civilized.

He sat next to her, and the others sat on the other side of him. Cana looked over at him, a small grin forming on her lips.

"Well, if it isn't our favorite Pokemon Trainer." she said jokingly, making Lowell sigh. He has only talked to Cana once or twice, and she reminds him of a friend of his. They both tease him, whenever they get the chance.

"He is the only Pokemon Trainer we know, Cana." Mira said from behind the bar counter, with her usual smile on her face.

However, this made Lowell chuckle. "Actually, you're wrong about that." he said, getting their attention. "She doesn't have much experience, yet, but Levy has already taken the first step in becoming a trainer." he said, motioning towards Ralts, who is now sitting on Levy's lap.

Cana and Mira noticed Ralts for the first time, and their eyes widened slightly in shock. Ralts looked at the two girls staring at him, with an awkward smile on his face.

"You caught a Pokemon?" Cana asked, to which Levy nodded her head in confirmation.

"Yes. His name is Ralts." Levy answered. "We met him during our job, and I protected him from a Pokemon that was threatening him and his friends. He saved me when I got hurt, and then he asked to come with me. Lowell gave me a poke ball, and, well…that's about it, really." she explained.

Mira began to stare at Ralts with hearts in her eyes. "He's so adorable!" she exclaimed, making the Pokemon in question to blush.

Mira's loud voice caught the attention of others in the guild, and they looked to the bar to see what was going on. A few people even stopped fighting to see what everyone was looking at. They saw Ralts sitting on Levy's lap, and they began to question what it was.

"What is that thing with Levy?" Macao asked in confusion.

"I think it's some sort of Pokemon." Wakaba informed his old friend.

The others heard what he said, and many of them moved towards the bar to find out for themselves. Suddenly, Levy found herself surrounded by her guildmates. Ralts tried to hide behind her, nervous around so many new faces.

They started asking her a bunch of questions, until a metal boot stomped against the ground, catching everyone's attention. They turned, and they realized that it was Erza, and many began to back away in fear of what Erza would do to them.

The gave a hard glare to her guildmates. "Give them some space." she ordered. "There is no reason to make her or her new friend uncomfortable. If you have something to ask, then do it in a more organized manner."

They all nodded their heads and quickly returned to what they were doing, in fear of seeing Erza's wrath.

However, a small group consisting of Lucy, Wendy and Carla, Gray, and Natsu and Happy approached them. Well, most of them approached them. Natsu ran towards them, his fists on fire.

"Lowell, fight me!" he yelled, attempting to punch him.

Lowell sweat-dropped upon seeing Natsu completely overlook Ralts, but it didn't catch him off-guard. He quickly stood up, grabbing Natsu's arm just as he reached him, and then spun him around. He let go of his arm, and Natsu went flying into a nearby table, causing them to look at him in slight shock, mainly those who hadn't seen him beat Natsu up in Crocus.

"I didn't realize that he was so strong." Mira stated.

Cana nodded her head in agreement, still drinking her booze. "He's got a strong arm, that's for sure." she responded. A small, mischievous smirk formed on her lips. "I wonder if he'd be willing to have a drink with me." she said, thinking about the fun she could have if he got drunk.

Levy understood the meaning behind her words, and she sent a glare to the brunette. Cana noticed Levy's glare, and her smirk only widened, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she went back to drinking, still feeling the blue-haired girl's stare. She mentally laughed.

 _"_ _Jealous much."_ she thought with a small grin.

Lowell sighed and sat back down, unintentionally blocking Cana from Levy's glaring. This made the blue-haired girl calm down a bit and refocus her attention on Ralts. Lowell then cast a cautious glance at Cana.

"Not interested. I don't drink, and I don't understand how you can drink so much of that stuff." he stated, obviously disgusted with her drinking habits. "Isn't there some sort of age limit to this sort of thing, here in Fiore?" he asked.

Cana shrugged her shoulders. "Not really, no. Although a lot of people start drinking after they turn sixteen." she responded. This news shocked Lowell.

"Really?" he asked.

The others nodded their heads in confirmation. "Why? What is the age limit where you come from?" Gray asked.

"Twenty-one." he said.

Cana laughed. "Like I would stay away from booze for that long!" she exclaimed.

Lowell sighed and shook his head. "Why do I have a feeling that I would regret it if you and my friend ever met?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "He is eighteen, like me, but he shares your love of alcohol. Mind you, he can't drink nearly as much as you, but he has been known to get drunk and do some pretty stupid thing." he said, thinking back to the time he had to bail Kurt out of jail because he had tried to catch a group of girls in poke balls. If Cana and Kurt ever met, Lowell is genuinely worried that they would lead to the end of the world.

She smirked. "Oh, really? What's his name, because I am interested in meeting this friend of yours." she said with a wink.

"It's Kurt." he answered quickly, just to get off the subject. "Anyways, how about we just get back to what you were going to ask, before we got on the subject of drinking." he suggested.

The others nodded in agreement, and Lucy was the first to ask a question. "So, how exactly did you end up catching a Pokemon?" she asked. She wasn't expecting someone from the guild to catch a Pokemon, so soon.

Levy and Lowell quickly explained what happened on their job, leaving out Greninja's past. They told them of Electrike and his friends, as well as Machamp, Gurdurr, and Toxicroak. Levy described how she was protecting Ralts and his friends, before she got hurt. Ralts saved her, allowing Charizard to defeat Toxicroak. She then told them what happened in the hotel room, when Ralts asked to come with her.

Somewhere during the explanation, Natsu had come back. He is now complaining, whining that Levy got a Pokemon before he did. "Come on!" he exclaimed. "I haven't even gotten to fight Lowell yet, and Levy has a Pokemon of her own?! How is that fair?!" he asked angrily.

"It was her bravery and kindness that convinced Ralts to join her." Greninja said, trying to calm the pink-haired Dragon Slayer down. "I'm sure that you can do the same, but things like this don't just happen overnight. It takes time to find a partner that you can trust, and that trusts you. The bond between trainer and Pokemon is important, and it can't be forced." he explained.

Natsu groaned in irritation, but he nodded his head anyways. He understands, but that doesn't mean that he likes it. Still, he isn't happy that he hasn't had his fight with Lowell, yet. "When are we gonna fight, Lowell?" Natsu asked. "You did promise, after all."

Lowell sighed. He can't avoid it anymore. He doesn't really mind, since it won't actually be him fighting Natsu, but he just doesn't like dealing with his attitude. Besides, right now, he has something he needs to do.

"Later, Natsu." he said. The pink-haired teen was about to complain, but Lowell interrupted him. "I have something important that I need to speak with Master Makarov about. Once I do that, we can battle, Natsu." he explained. Natsu pumped his fist in the air, excited that he is finally going to get to fight him, making Lowell sigh. He almost regrets making that promise, to begin with.

"What do you need to speak with me about?" a familiar voice asked. They turned around, and they saw the master walking towards them, his cane in hand.

"Something happened during the job, and I wish to speak to you about it." he said. "Also, I would like to get in touch with the Magic Council, or the king."

Makarov raised a brow at him. "Why, if you don't mind me asking?" he asked.

"It has to do with what I wish to speak to you about." Lowell explained.

He nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, then. Let's go to my office, and we can discuss what is on your mind."

The two of them went upstairs to the master's office, and the others watched them leave, with curious looks on their faces.

"I wonder what that was about." Lucy commented.

Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. It seemed like whatever he needed to say was rather important." she responded.

"Indeed, it was." Carla said from her spot next to Wendy.

Erza shook her head and dismissed it. "I am sure that he is only going to fill the master in on what happened during the job. However, I am curious as to why he has requested to speak with the Magic Council, or the king." she said, looking towards Levy, Ralts, and Greninja. "Do any of you know what is going on?" she asked.

Levy and Ralts both shook their heads, but Greninja just sat there.

"I have a pretty good idea of what he wanted to talk about, and I agree that it is important. However, if the matter is resolved or not depends on if his idea is approved by the council or king." he explained.

"Why is that?" Happy asked, eating a fish.

"Let's just say that the task is far too big for Lowell and our team can handle by ourselves." he answered.

* * *

In the master's office, Master Makarov sat on top his desk, while Lowell sat in a chair across from him. The master took a sip from a mug that was on his desk, and he sighed before speaking.

"Alright. What seems to be the problem?" he asked, already knowing that something had happened.

Lowell looked down slightly, with a small frown on his face. "On our job, we learned that the thieves who had been stealing food from Camellia Town were Pokemon. However, it wasn't out of ill-intent. Another group of Pokemon were threatening them, and they would've hurt them if they didn't give them most of their food, which wasn't very much to begin with." Lowell explained.

The master nodded his head in agreement. "That does sound like a problem, but why bring this up to the council?" he asked, still confused.

"On Earth, there are special berries that grow. Many of them have special abilities, like curing poison or paralysis. They can also restore someone's strength. It all depends on the kind of berry. For wild Pokemon, those berries are their main source of food, but they are native to Earth." Lowell explained.

Slowly, Master Makarov's eyes widened in realization. "Since they don't grow in Fiore, or Ishgar for that matter, the Pokemon are starving. Hence, why they are attacking towns." he figured out, to which Lowell nodded his head in confirmation.

"However, these berries grow into trees in just about a day or two, and it doesn't take much longer for berries to start growing. The only problem is, I don't have enough berries to plant around the kingdom, and I also don't have the capability of planting every berry tree." Lowell explained.

The old master closed his eyes and nodded his head in understanding. Now it makes sense why he wanted to contact the Magic Council, or the king. He wants to work out some sort of deal with them, to have these berries planted in Fiore. He believes that it is a good plan of action, because it may stop some of the Pokemon attacks. However, the real challenge would be to convince the council and the king. Surely the king will agree, because he is more understanding of the Pokemon, but the Magic Council, as of now, still doesn't trust them.

"I understand where you are going with this, but are you sure that you can convince them to agree to this?" Master Makarov asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders as a response. "Honestly, I'm not sure. That doesn't mean that I can't give it a shot, anyways. I am concerned for the well-being of the Pokemon, and that will always come first."

Master Makarov smiled, obviously pleased at his words. He is so determined to keep these creatures safe, even though he hasn't met most of them. He is a considerate person, who ultimately puts the well-being of others above himself. Ever since he has arrived in Fiore, he hasn't stopped moving around. He is either travelling, or on a job, and he doesn't seem to have any intent on changing that anytime soon.

 _"_ _He sure is committed."_ the master thought.

"Alright. I have a way that you can speak with the chairman of the Magic Council. However, I would like to warn you that he isn't exactly very fond of Pokemon." the master said.

"May I ask why?" Lowell asked curiously.

"He doesn't like the idea of the people of Fiore having to adjust to the way of life that people live on Earth. Even though it is Ishgar that has appeared on Earth, Gran Doma thinks that the people of Earth should follow the rules set by the council. The thought of someone having power over him, other than the king, doesn't make him very happy. Although I doubt he will do anything drastic, because he does want to try to avoid a war, if all possible." Master Makarov explained.

Lowell sighed. "In that case, I will have to find a way to convince him that this also benefits the people of Fiore, and not just Pokemon." he responded. Although he does have a plan for that. He isn't sure if it will work, but he is hoping that it will. Otherwise, things might become complicated.

Master Makarov went behind his desk and opened a drawer. He took out what appeared to be a crystal ball, and he placed it on top his desk.

"This is a communication lacrima. With this, we will be able to talk to the chairman." he said.

"How does it work?" Lowell asked. He still can't use his magic, aside from focusing it into his guild mark, and he also hasn't seen how mages use lacrima, yet.

"It is simple, really." the master responded. "All you do is pour some of your magic into the lacrima, and it will allow you to contact whoever you choose, as long as they also have a communication lacrima." he explained.

Like the master explained, he focused his magic into the lacrima crystal, and soon the image of a man appeared on the crystal. He has a long, white beard, and he is wearing a big, black hat, and a black cloak. The man has an irritated expression on his face.

"What have you contacted me for, Makarov?" Gran Doma asked. He then noticed the other person in Makarov's office. "Who is this? Is he a new guild member?" he asked, when in reality he doesn't really care.

"Gran Doma, this is Lowell Falkov, the Pokemon Trainer sent here by Diantha." the old master introduced.

Gran Doma looked at Lowell with an intrigued expression on his face, studying him. By the look on his face, he isn't impressed.

"So, this is the boy who suggested a tournament?" he asked.

Lowell nodded his head in confirmation. "I am, chairman. I believe that it is the perfect way for people to see that people and Pokemon can coexist without having to fear the other. Ever since Ishgar became a part of Earth, the Pokemon have been trying to adjust to the changes, just like the people have. Some have lost their homes, and many are having trouble finding food. They don't mean any real harm when they attack these villages or towns." he explained.

Gran Doma was silent for a moment. Lowell isn't sure if that is a good thing, or if that is a bad thing.

"After some discussion, we have decided that this tournament isn't a bad idea." the chairman spoke up. "Also, we believe that if we broadcast the event globally, with the help of your world's media, then we can show to the whole world that the people of Ishgar and the people of Earth can get along. As much as I hate to admit it, Pokemon are a part of our lives, now, as much as wizards are now a part of yours. It is imperative that we can all understand each other."

This made a small, almost unnoticeable grin form on Lowell's lips. That went better than he was expecting.

"We haven't decided on when it will happen, but we also must inform Diantha of our decision. There is still the matter of having these poke balls you mentioned, and other Pokemon related items, sold in Fiore." he said.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders as a response. "I can go back to the Kalos Region, briefly, and I can inform Diantha of what is happening. From there, she can contact the necessary people to help make all of this happen." he explained. "Although I can take care of the poke balls. I happen to be friends with the president of the Pokeball factory in Kalos, and I think that I will be able to make a deal with him."

Gran Doma nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. After all the plans are made, there will be a proper announcement. When this happens, I want you to be in Crocus, ready to speak on behalf of Earth."

This request made him a little shocked. To him, it would make more sense for Diantha to be the one to speak, considering that she has a higher status than he does.

"Why me, and not Diantha?" Lowell asked.

"You are currently staying in Fiore, while the champion of Kalos has her own business to attend to there. Besides, you are representing the people of Earth. It only makes sense that you be the one to speak." he explained.

Lowell sighed, but he nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. I'll do it." he said.

An indifferent smile formed on Gran Doma's lips. "Good. Then, if that is all, I have business to attend t- "

"Actually, there is one more thing I wish to speak about." Lowell said, interrupting the chairman. Gran Doma didn't seem pleased, but he let Lowell continued anyways.

"Like I mentioned before, the Pokemon are starving. Their main source of food are special berries that only grow in the regions native to Earth. That being said, they can be planted in Fiore, and it would only take a day or two for them to grow, and then it wouldn't take much longer for berries to grow." Lowell explained.

Gran Doma raised a brow at Lowell. "What are you suggesting?" he asked.

"I would like to suggest having a shipment of berries sent to Fiore. I can speak with Diantha about it, if you agree." Lowell responded.

The chairman stroked his beard in deep thought. "What would we benefit from doing this?" he asked.

Lowell sighed. "Humans have a use for the berries, as well. Some can cure poison, while others can be used to cure paralysis. They can be used in medicine, or people can just eat them. I believe that it would be beneficial to everyone, people and Pokemon alike, if berry farms be set up around the kingdom." he explained.

Gran Doma thought about it for a moment. It is true that a profit could be made from them. Also, if it prevents some of the attacks, then the effort of setting up these farms would be worth it.

He sighed. "Alright. You can speak with the champion about the berries. If you can have them sent to Fiore, then we can figure out a way to set up these farms you suggested."

Lowell smiled. "Thank you, chairman. I should be able to take care of this in about week. I will contact you when everything is settled." he said.

Gran Doma nodded his head in understanding. "If that is all, then I must get going." he said, ending the communication link.

"That went far better than I was expecting." Lowell said.

Master Makarov nodded his head in agreement. "It sure did." he said. He then turned to face Lowell. "So, when are you planning on leaving?" he asked. "After all, you did just get back from a job, today."

He does have a point. They just got back to the guild, today. If he keeps up this pace, he and his Pokemon will tire themselves out. They aren't easily stopped, but everyone has their limits, and that doesn't exclude them.

He sighed. "I guess that we will leave, the day after tomorrow. I don't want to tire my Pokemon out, and I know my own limits, as well. Plus, this will also give us time to figure out how to get back to Kalos. After all, there isn't a ship that can take us there, yet." he explained.

Makarov hummed in thought. "That is a problem." he said. "Can't you just ask Diantha for a ride?" he asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yes. That is how I got to Fiore. She sent me here on one of her private helicopters. However, I don't want to have to always rely on her. She is busy, as well. Plus, she is going to have even more on her plate, helping get this tournament set up. I guess I can just get Charizard or Dragonite to give me a ride back."

They may be even faster than a helicopter would be, and he wouldn't have to bother Diantha. He doubts that either of them would mind, so it is probably the best option.

Makarov nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, then. If anything comes up, I will inform you right away."

Lowell thanked the master before leaving his office. He decided that he needed to get back to Greninja, before he knocks Natsu out, again.

* * *

When he got back downstairs, he saw how Ralts was using Confusion to suspend Gajeel in the air. The Iron Dragon Slayer is struggling to escape, and it puts a small grin on Lowell's face.

"What happened?" he asked as he walked towards Levy and the others.

Levy sighed. "Gajeel walked over to us, and he commented how Ralts was just a pipsqueak. This made him mad, so he used his Confusion on him." she explained.

"Could you put me down already?!" Gajeel growled angrily. "This is starting to get annoying!"

Ralts happily let him down, allowing the Iron Dragon Slayer to hit the ground hard. Ralts laughed a little, until Gajeel stood back up, ready to fight. He glared at Ralts, causing Ralts to get closer to Levy.

Gajeel was about to attack, but Natsu appeared in front of him, and he punched Gajeel in the face with a flaming fist. Gajeel was sent flying into a nearby table from the force of the hit. He then appeared in front of Lowell, an excited grin on his face.

"Can we fight now?" he asked hopefully.

The others sweat-dropped. Of course, that was why he punched Gajeel. At least he unintentionally helped Ralts, as well.

"Not now." Lowell responded. He noticed the frown on Natsu's face, and he sighed. "Tomorrow, I promise. As much as I enjoy teasing you about this, I would rather not delay it past tomorrow, because I am going to be leaving again, the day after tomorrow."

"Another job?" Mira asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of. I am returning to Kalos for about a week or so. The council has approved the tournament idea, which means that I need to talk to Diantha about getting the necessary preparations set up. I also need to speak with the president of the Pokeball factory, to discuss making Pokeballs available for purchase, here in Fiore." he explained.

When he said that he was returning to Kalos, Natsu got even more excited.

"This is awesome!" he exclaimed. "Now we get to see where you come from."

Lucy nodded her head in agreement. "I wouldn't mind seeing it. It would be an interesting trip, for sure."

Erza shook her head. "This isn't a vacation. There is work to be done, so there will be no playing around." she said in a scolding manner.

Levy laughed. "I'll admit, I wouldn't mind seeing Kalos, either." she said, looking towards Lowell.

He raised an eyebrow at them. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "I can't take all of you."

"Why not?" Gray asked, confused.

"I'm returning to Kalos by riding on top of Charizard or Dragonite's back. Neither of them would be able to carry seven people." he explained.

This made Natsu complain. "Ah man! I really wanted to see Kalos. I bet that the food is great." he said, making everyone sweat-drop. Of course, he would only care about food.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Levy's head. "Wait. When you first got here, didn't you take some sort of vehicle?" she asked. Upon hearing the word 'vehicle,' Natsu's face began to turn green, and he looked like he was about to vomit.

"I change my mind." he groaned.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yeah. I was dropped off in a helicopter. I could call Diantha and ask her to send one, but I really don't want to bother her. She is already doing so much." he explained.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why they can't come. Surely it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience for her." he said. "Besides, Levy is a trainer now, so I am sure that it would be beneficial for her to see other trainers in action."

Lowell sighed, and he looked at the mages in front of him. Each of them is looking at him with a pleading expression, aside from Erza and Gray. They could care less, though they wouldn't mind going.

Ultimately, Lowell broke when he saw Levy giving him the puppy dog eyes. He never could resist them, when his older sister used them on him, when they were younger.

With a small blush on his face, he sighed. "Fine." he responded.

The group of mages burst into cheers, and Greninja just chuckled at the sight. After all these years, all it takes to convince him is the puppy dog eyes. Although maybe it was the fact that Levy was the one giving him the puppy dog eyes, if the blush wasn't a dead giveaway.

 _"_ _Hopefully Diantha isn't too busy."_ Lowell thought, taking out his cellphone to call her.

Suddenly, he has a feeling that things are going to go horribly wrong. After all, he just agreed to let Natsu come with him to Kalos. He is bound to cause some sort of damage, while they are there.

Lowell sighed, again. This is going to be a long week.

* * *

 **AN: This was a shorter chapter, but it was more of a transition to what is going to be happening for the next couple of chapters. Get ready for the Kalos Arc! I am planning on having at least five chapters where they are in Kalos, but it could end up being more. Though this was a shorter chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, anyway. There will be a lot more action in the chapters to come, and I am hoping to improve my skills in writing fight scenes, so I am aiming to make the next couple of fights much better than the previous ones.**

 **Like always, if you enjoyed, please leave a review, because any feedback is greatly appreciated. With all of that out of the way, I hope that all of you have a great day...um...night. Whenever you are reading this, have a good rest of the day, or rest of the night. Oh, forget it! You get what I am trying to say XD**


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, many people gathered in front of Fairy Tail's guild hall. Word of the fight between Lowell and Natsu spread around the town, and people are interested in seeing what the newest member of Fairy Tail had up his sleeve. Many see him walking around the town, and they know that he works alongside the Pokemon. They are curious as to what they are capable of.

Lowell sighed as he looked at the large crowd. Even during battles, he isn't a fan of being surrounded by people. He prefers it to be between the trainers and their Pokemon, without having so many people watching. However, he promised Natsu a fight, and he wasn't going to go back on his promise.

"Did they have to go and spread the word to everyone in town?" he asked no one in particular.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders as a response. "If I am seeing right, it seems like many members of the guild are making bets on who is going to win the fight." he said, gesturing to the mages holding up Jewel and talking to members of the crowd. "I think most people are betting on Natsu."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "That's fine by me. They are more familiar with Natsu than they are of us, so it isn't surprising. Although, I am not sure I am happy about people betting on or against us." he said with a small frown.

"Sorry about that." a familiar voice said from behind. Lowell turned around, and his frown started to lift a bit when he saw Levy. "They tend to do that when they are excited about a fight. Normally, I don't participate in the betting, but I decided to bet on you, this time." she said, shocking him. Seeing the shocked look on his face, she looked away in embarrassment. "W-well, Natsu is strong, but if he tried to use his full power, then he would end up destroying the place, and hurting a lot of people." she explained.

Lowell chuckled. "Dragonite can be destructive, as well, but I believe that she knows how to control her power well enough to not cause so much damage. Still, this result of this fight won't be clear until it is over." he responded. Dragonite is strong, but he still isn't sure how effective Natsu's Dragon Slayer magic will be against her. That is the reason why he suggested the fight, to begin with. He wants to see how different types of magic correlate with Pokemon types and moves.

"I suggest that you have Ralts watch the fight." Lowell continued. "It isn't a Pokemon battle, but watching Dragonite will surely help him, and it will also give you a chance to see how a trainer works with their Pokemon in battle." he explained.

Levy nodded her head in understanding. She fought against Toxicroak back in the forest, but she was the one fighting. She didn't have to give anyone orders. Watching Lowell will give her much needed experience.

Suddenly, Ralts came out of his Pokeball on his own, slightly startling Levy. He has done that a couple times, and it still catches her off-guard.

"I'm guessing that you heard all of that." Lowell said, to which Ralts nodded his head in confirmation. "Good. Then we don't need to explain anything. Just watch the fight to get a better understanding of Pokemon battles."

Ralts nodded his head in understanding. However, he then noticed something. "Shouldn't Natsu be here, already?" he asked.

Levy sighed. "You would think that he would be early, for something like this." she said, covering her face with her hand.

That bothers Lowell, as well, but as long as he shows up soon, everything will be fine. However, if he doesn't show up soon, he is just going to leave. He isn't going to wait all day for him.

Seeing the small look of irritation on Lowell's face, Levy made an attempt to change the subject. He must not like it when people are late to events.

"So, did you manage to get a ride?" she asked, referring to his call with Diantha.

A small grin formed on his lips. "Yes. According to Diantha, a helicopter should be arriving here, early tomorrow morning. That means that we need to be ready to leave, by then." he explained.

She nodded her head in understanding. She feels bad about pressuring him into letting her and the others come. She just wanted to see where he comes from, and more of the world of Pokemon. "I'm sorry about pressuring you, yesterday. I just really wanted to see more of your world." she apologized.

Lowell just shook his head. "It's fine. Honestly, I don't mind. I just didn't want to cause Diantha anymore trouble. Still, she was more than willing to send someone to pick us up. After all, she once went on her own journey, so she knows the excitement of exploring new places." he explained with a small smile on his face.

Hearing him say that got her interested. He told her some things that he has done, but he never really talked about how he felt during his travels.

"Were you excited, when you finally got to travel?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I was happy, that is for sure. I wouldn't say excited, necessarily." he said before going deeper into thought. "My dream was always to become a Pokemon Trainer. It was all I ever wanted. When the time finally came for me to select my starter Pokemon, I was happy. Of course, things didn't start out smoothly, at first." he explained, looking at Greninja.

His partner nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. We had a rough start, at first, but that changed over time." he responded. He then looked towards Levy and Ralts. "Although, you two both seem to have bonded fairly quickly. I can tell that you will work well together."

Hearing this made Levy and Ralts smile. They looked at each other, and they gave each other a knowing look. They may be new to this, but they will prove Lowell and Greninja right, no matter what it takes.

Levy looked back at Greninja, giving him a grateful smile. "Thanks. We'll prove that we have what it takes to make a great team. Maybe someday, we will even be able to beat you." she said playfully.

Lowell laughed, but it wasn't a mocking laugh. He openly welcomes any competition that he may have. If she aims to beat them in a battle, one day, then he encourages her to try. When working together with trusted partners, anything is possible.

"I'll look forward to that battle, then." he responded.

They held each other's gaze for a moment, before Levy was suddenly shoved form behind. She let out a gasp of surprise, and when she turned around, she sighed when she saw Lucy standing there with a cheeky grin on her face.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Lowell just shrugged his shoulders and turned around. "No, not really. We were just talking about Pokemon." he responded. "Do you happen to know where Natsu is? He should have been here by now."

Lucy sighed. "He is probably still asleep. Knowing him, I wouldn't be surprised." she answered.

Clanking footsteps closed in on them. "Only Natsu would sleep in when he was so excited about the fight, yesterday." Erza said, appearing behind them.

"You came to watch the fight, as well?" Greninja asked, receiving a nod of confirmation.

"Yes. I am very interested to see how Natsu stands against Dragonite. He has fought against several Pokemon in the past, as well as the rest of us, and they gave us quite a lot of trouble." she explained. "Those were only wild Pokemon, as well. However, this time, Natsu will be up against a Pokemon with years of experience battling under a trainer. This will prove to be a challenge for him."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Gray said, appearing beside Erza. Like always, he is missing his shirt, revealing the blue Fairy Tail emblem on his chest. He has a small smirk on his face. "He is a Dragon Slayer, after all. After failing to defeat a dragon back in Crocus, Natsu will most likely be taking this fight as seriously as he possibly can. Sure, Dragonite isn't an actual dragon, but she is the closest thing to one. Although, if he does end up losing, then it will be a big hit to his pride." he explained.

Hearing that made Lowell frown, slightly. From what he recalls from the stories Levy told him, the mages managed to send the dragons back to their original time, but none of the Dragon Slayers were able to slay a dragon. Also, with Natsu's determination to win, it must've really upset him.

Still, that doesn't matter to him. "I don't care if it will hurt his pride. In a serious battle, it is disrespectful for either side to hold back. It isn't truly a win, unless both opponents are giving it their all." he said, looking back at them. "Neither of us will hold anything back against Natsu. That would hurt his pride more than if we beat him." he stated with determination.

The others couldn't argue with this. Natsu doesn't like to lose, but he would also be angry if someone underestimated him and went easy on him. The win wouldn't be satisfying, unless he knew both sides tried their best.

This reminds Levy of how Lowell turned down the title of champion, even though Diantha believe he had earned it. He didn't win, so he didn't believe that it was fair. She is amazed at how different Lowell and Natsu are, yet they still share some similarities.

"Good. I don't want to fight you at anything but your best, and you can expect the same of me." a voice said from behind. Everyone turned around, and they saw Natsu standing there with a big smirk on his face. Happy is flying beside him.

"Sorry we were late, everybody. Natsu decided that he was going to oversleep, and he completely forgot about the fight." Happy said.

Gray scoffed. "Go figure. We expected this much from the pyro." he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

This made Natsu's eyebrow twitch, and he ran up to Gray, glaring right at him. "You wanna fight me next, stripper?!" he asked angrily.

Gray smirked, and he readied his magic. "Why not right now?" he suggested, getting ready to cast a spell.

A fight between the two mages was about to break out, but Erza and Greninja split them up before they could do any real damage.

"Focus on one fight at a time." Greninja said as he dragged him to where he and Dragonite were going to fight. "You will need all of your strength if you want to beat Dragonite. Wasting your energy on petty arguments won't help you."

Natsu chuckled. "You know that I am going to give it my all in this fight. There is no way that I am losing to another dragon!" he declared.

Lowell walked forward, until he was standing directly across from Natsu. Greninja returned to where Levy and the others are, not wanting to get caught in the middle of the fight.

Lowell took out Dragonite's Pokeball. A small grin formed on his lips. "We'll see if you are still saying that after the fight is done." he said before tossing the Pokeball in the air.

Dragonite appeared, and she landed on the ground with a loud stomp. It was strong enough to create a seismic shock that knocked several people back. Dragonite sent Natsu a small glare.

"You may be a Dragon Slayer, but you haven't seen what I am capable of." she said. "Come at me with everything you've got!"

Greninja looked between Natsu and Dragonite, lifting a hand in the air. "The battle between Natsu and Dragonite will now begin. It will be over when one side is no longer capable of continuing." he announced. "Are the combatants ready?" he asked.

He didn't receive a response. Instead, Natsu and Dragonite continued to glare at each other.

"I'll take that as a yes." Greninja decided. He swiped his hand downwards. "Begin!"

Natsu took off in a sprint towards Dragonite, reeling his fist back. Once he was about a yard or so away from her, he leaped into the air, lighting his fist on fire.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** "

Seeing Natsu close in so fast, Lowell had to think quickly to come up with a counter. "Dragonite, jump back, and then use **Slam!** " he ordered.

Just as Natsu was about to hit her, Dragonite took a small jump backwards, causing him to punch the ground. The force behind his punch created a small crater, and Dragonite used her large wings to block the shockwave from the impact. She spun around, and she slammed her tail into Natsu's stomach, causing him to go flying backwards.

"Fly above him, and use **Dragon Claw!** " Lowell ordered.

"You got it!" Dragonite said as she took off. She is faster in the air than she is on ground, so she was able to reach Natsu before he hit the ground. Her claws were extended by a green, draconic energy, and she descended upon Natsu.

Natsu saw Dragonite coming, and he ducked his head at the last second, narrowly avoiding the swipe. He leaned back even more, and he ended up doing a handstand. He lit his feet on fire, and he kicked upwards, aiming for Dragonite's stomach.

" **Fire Dragon's Claw!** "

Dragonite took a hard, flaming kick to the stomach, and she went crashing to the ground, sliding past Natsu. She didn't stop, until she was right in front of the crowd of people. Some of them had to step back, to avoid getting crushed.

"Yeah, Natsu! You show her who's the boss!" Happy cheered from the sidelines.

Levy watched with wide eyes as Dragonite crashed to the ground. She knew that they were going to be fighting without holding back, but she wasn't expecting Natsu to get a hit in so easily. He has definitely gotten stronger. The battle has only just begun, but she can't help but feel worried for Dragonite.

"I don't think you should be cheering so soon, Happy." Lucy said.

Gray raised a brow at her. "Why?" he asked. "He just sent Dragonite crashing into the ground. With that kind of fall, I doubt she would get up."

Erza shook her head. "You are counting her out far too soon. Remember what they said before the battle started. They said that neither would be holding back in this fight. I highly doubt that a small fall like that could beat her."

Just as Erza said it, Dragonite stood up, smirking at Natsu. "I'll admit, that was a pretty strong kick, but it will take a lot more than that to beat me!" she said, rushing forward again.

" **Dragon Claw!** " Lowell ordered.

Dragonite slashed at Natsu with draconic claws, but he jumped over them and over her head. He landed a couple feet behind her, and he began to gather fire in both his hands. He created a large fireball, before throwing it at Dragonite.

" **Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!** "

As the fireball headed straight towards her, Dragonite just stood there calmly. An attack from behind won't work so well. She is just waiting for her orders.

"Dodge, and then stun him with **Thunder Wave!** "

Without hesitation, Dragonite turned around, sidestepping to avoid the fireball. It whizzed right past her head, exploding upon making impact with the ground behind her. She took off, her body beginning to crackle with electricity. The electricity gathered around her arms, and she thrusted them forward, sending a wave of electricity towards Natsu.

Natsu tried to move out of the way, but the electricity was moving too fast for him to dodge. His body was enveloped in a powerful shockwave that left his body stiff and tingling from the electricity. He tried to move again, but his body wouldn't let him.

"W-what the hell is going on?! What did you do to me?!" he asked angrily.

"Thunder Wave is a status move that paralyzes the opponent. Until the effect goes away, you will be slower than normal, and it will be harder for you to move." Lowell explained.

Natsu let out a small growl, but he has a plan. He has done something like this before, but Lowell doesn't know about it. If he times this right, then he still has a chance.

"Dragonite, use **Dragon Claw** , again!" Lowell ordered.

"Of course." she responded before charging towards Natsu again.

She began to slash away at him, and he couldn't do anything to retaliate. Even if he did manage to move, he wasn't fast enough to block Dragonite's claws. Parts of his clothing began to tear away, and his body became covered in cuts in bruises. After another slash, Natsu went flying backwards, rolling to a stop on the ground. The crowd watched, amazed at how the Salamander of Fairy Tail was losing to Dragonite.

For a second, it looked like Dragonite actually won. However, Natsu slowly stood back up, albite a bit shakily. He glared at Dragonite, determination in his eyes.

Knowing that he wouldn't give up, Lowell decided that it was about time to wrap things up. He knows that he probably has something up his sleeve, so he needs to end this, before Natsu gets a chance to retaliate.

"Dragonite, finish things up with **Dragon Rush!** " he ordered.

Dragonite flew towards Natsu at an incredible speed. Her body was surrounded by a cloak of blue, draconic energy. The mages around them were amazed by the power coming from Dragonite. It even sent a chill down Natsu's spine. However, that didn't make him any less determined to win.

A smile found its way to Levy's face. She isn't believing what she is seeing. Natsu can barely move, and if that attack hits, there is a good chance the fight will be over. She feels bad, rooting against Natsu, but she still wants Lowell and Dragonite to win.

Meanwhile, Ralts watches in pure amazement. He has never seen such an intense battle, before. The more he watches, the more he wonders if he will ever become this strong.

Just as Dragonite was about to reach Natsu, he suddenly jumped out of the way, and he axe-kicked Dragonite in the back with a flaming heel.

" **Fire Dragon's Talon!** "

Dragonite slid backwards, but she didn't fall over. She looked over at Natsu, shock clear on her face. She never would have thought that he would break free of her paralysis, like that.

Lowell and the rest of the crowd are shocked, as well. He doesn't understand how Natsu managed to do it. How could he break through it without using a Cheri Berry, or some sort of status healing move?

Natsu laughed a bit. "I remembered my fight with Sting, during the Grand Magic Games." he said. "He paralyzed me using that spell of his, but I managed to use my magic to burn it off." he explained with a big smirk.

Levy's eyes widened in shock. She had almost forgotten about that. In his fight with Sting, he had been paralyzed by Sting's punch. It took him a little while, but he was able to burn it away. She didn't even consider that a possibility, here. To think, he probably had planned this out, the moment that he got paralyzed.

"Natsu definitely has gotten stronger." she said, amazed.

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "He may act foolish, but Natsu isn't someone to be taken lightly. His strength is remarkable, as well as his sheer determination." she said with respect.

Lucy smiled. "That's our Natsu. He just doesn't know when to give up." she responded.

"Why do I get the feeling that the town is going to end up destroyed before this fight is over?" Gray asked.

Surprisingly enough, they have managed to keep the damage to a minimum, only damaging the area where they are fighting. However, if this keeps up for much longer, there is a chance that they will cause much more destruction.

Levy giggled. "Well, Natsu is fighting, right? I don't think it is possible for him to fight without causing some sort of damage. Apparently Dragonite does the same thing, but she is better at controlling her power, than Natsu." she explained.

Lowell looked at Natsu, a smirk forming on his lips. _"Man, Natsu is stronger than I was expecting. Not only can he keep up with Dragonite, but he can also burn away the paralysis like it was nothing."_ he thought.

"He is definitely a worthy opponent." Lowell said to Dragonite.

The dragon-type nodded her head in agreement, a smirk on her face, as well. "Yeah. For a human, he is pretty tough. Although, that doesn't mean that I am just about to give up. The battle isn't over yet."

Despite the hits Natsu managed to land on Dragonite, she isn't as badly damaged as he is. He has taken more hits than she has, and all her attacks also dealt more damage. She is beginning to get a little tired, but other than that, she is raring to continue.

Suddenly, Lowell became filed with something he hasn't felt since his battle with Diantha. This battle with Natsu, it has given him a couple of surprises. Natsu has managed to keep both him and Dragonite on their toes, shocking them with his unpredictability. For the first time in about a year, Lowell is feeling real excitement.

He has always enjoyed battling, and he has always taken it seriously. However, it has been a while since he has had an opponent who made him feel this excited. Even though it isn't him fighting, Lowell can't help but be overwhelmed by the sensation. Is this what the world of magic is like? He can't help but wait until the time that he is able to accomplish such things, himself.

Lowell's smirk turned into a smile. Greninja noticed this, and he was genuinely shocked. This is one of the biggest smiles he has ever seen on his friend's face. _"He must be having a lot of fun."_ he thought with a smile.

Natsu seems to understand what Lowell is thinking, and he smiled, as well.

"How about we keep going?" he suggested, clenching a fist that he set on fire. "I'm all fired up!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Lowell and Dragonite said simultaneously.

Dragonite and Natsu both rushed forward, determined to keep the fight going. Neither one of them are willing to give into the other.

"Dragonite, use **Dragon Claw** on the ground!" Lowell ordered.

The dragon-typed followed her trainer's command, and she slashed at the ground with a set of green claws. The impact caused a cloud of dust to kick up, blocking Natsu's vision. Dragonite maneuvered around the dust, appearing behind Natsu. She attempted to sneak attack him, but he smelt her coming, and he turned around, blocking her claws with a flaming fist.

Natsu pivoted on his heel before doing a flip in the air and kicking Dragonite in the head. She was pushed back, and she began to block a flurry of punches and kicks from the fiery Dragon Slayer.

Lowell watched the action, trying to come up with another strategy. If Paralysis won't work, then Dragonite will have to outsmart and overpower Natsu. However, with his senses, it will be hard to sneak up on him, and stealth has never been Dragonite's strongpoint, either.

Fatigue will also become a factor in this. Dragonite is still going strong, but constantly blocking Natsu's attacks will take its toll on her energy. However, the same can be said about Natsu, as he is constantly attacking, not wanting to give Dragonite a chance to counterattack. It is a stalemate, and the side that falters for even a second will give the other the opening they need to end this.

Suddenly, Lowell came up with an idea. "Dragonite, use **Thunder Wave** , again!" he ordered.

This seemed to confuse those watching. Why paralyze him again, if he will only burn through it?

"What is he thinking?" Levy wondered out loud.

Ralts nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Natsu will just burn through it, again. I don't understand how this will help." he responded.

"Actually, it may put the odds in his and Dragonite's favor." Erza responded.

Gray looked over at the S-class mage, confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

Erza turned her attention back to the fight, waiting to see what happens next. "If you forgot, when Dragonite first paralyzed Natsu, he didn't burn through it, right away. It took time for him to burn through it. However, now he is injured, as well as tired. If he becomes paralyzed again, then Dragonite will have the opportunity to strike, without having to worry about Natsu countering or dodging." she explained. Even if he is capable of moving, Natsu will still be slowed down by the paralysis, giving Dragonite the advantage.

"What if she misses, though?" Levy asked.

"She won't miss." Lowell said, surprising them. They didn't even realize that he had heard them. "I have confidence that Dragonite will connect this attack. After all, like Natsu, she hates to lose, and she won't give up until she wins." he said confidently.

Dragonite followed her orders, and her arms began to spark with electricity. "It's now or never." she thought.

However, Natsu noticed the electricity, and he knew what was going on. He knows that he won't be able to block this, and he doesn't have the time to burn it off, again. He must dodge it.

"I'm not falling for the same trick twice!" he announced, trying to jump back. However, Dragonite surprised him and caught his arm, slamming him to the ground. He let out a small grunt of pain, and then he was able to feel the electricity shooting through his body.

"Now, use **Slam!** " Lowell ordered. He doesn't want to give Natsu a chance to counter, while he is still paralyzed.

Dragonite picked Natsu up, and she threw him into the air. She then flew up and met him while still in mid-air, and she slammed her tail into his stomach, sending him crashing back into the ground.

Natsu rolled for a little bit, until he came to a complete stop. He glared up at Dragonite, who is flying towards him. He isn't sure how much more he will be able to take, so he might as well kick things up a notch. He leaned his head back, taking a deep breath, as fire began to gather in his mouth.

"Hurry, Dragonite!" Lowell yelled with urgency. "Don't let him get that attack off! Use **Dragon Rush!** "

"With pleasure!" Dragonite responded, gathering a blue, draconic energy around her body once more. She dived down towards Natsu at an incredible speed, but it wasn't fast enough to stop his attack.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** "

Natsu's breath attack collided with Dragonite midway, and the two attacks fought for dominance. However, before either one could push the other back, there was a large explosion, covering the crowd in smoke and pushing the spectators back a bit. The windows in nearby buildings began to shatter.

Lowell and the others moved their arms over their faces to block out the smoke, and Levy picked up Ralts to keep him from flying off.

 _"_ _What insane power."_ Levy thought.

It took a few moments, but the smoke finally began to clear away. However, Dragonite and Natsu are both still blocked from view by it.

"Who the hell won?" Gray asked, trying to see through the smoke.

Lucy shook her head. "I have no idea." she responded. "Who knows if there even is a winner?" For all they know, they could still be in a stalemate. Although, seeing as though their attacks are now reaching the nearby buildings, it wouldn't be smart for them to continue much longer.

Erza narrowed her eyes as the smoke continued to clear. "Pay attention. The smoke is almost gone. We'll see who is victorious then." she stated.

Everyone watched eagerly, desperately wanting to see the winner of the intense fight.

When the smoke finally cleared, it revealed both Dragonite and Natsu, on their feet. However, neither one of them is without injuries. Dragonite's body is full of cuts and bruises, and there is some evidence of burns on her wings, back, and stomach. She is panting, but otherwise, she is still able to continue if necessary.

Natsu, is in a similar condition. His clothes are torn, leaving the upper half of his body visible, and he is covered in cuts and bruises, as well. He is breathing heavily, and his legs are beginning to shake a little. Soon, he fell to one knee, gasping for breath. He looked up at the dragon-type, stunned at how powerful she really is.

 _"_ _She isn't even a real dragon. She just has the power of a dragon, and yet she is so powerful!"_ he thought. As much as he enjoyed the battle, he can't help but feel disappointed in himself that he failed to defeat her, much like how he failed to defeat a single dragon back at the Grand Magic Games.

Technically, the battle isn't over, but even Natsu understands that if he pushed it even further, he would lose. Not to mention, they would cause unnecessary damage to their surroundings. He will have a rematch, but not with so many civilians around to watch. That way, they can finish their battle, without having to be interrupted.

Greninja took notice at how neither Dragonite or Natsu were making an attempt to move, so he called the match. "That's enough! The match will be ended in a draw, to avoid unnecessary damage from taking place!" he announced.

Many people were upset at how the battle was ended, but they all understood the reasoning. Still, many people continued to talk about who they thought would've won if the match wasn't called, right away. Most people believe Dragonite would've won, while many people thought that Natsu would make a comeback.

After the match was called, Lowell walked over to Dragonite, and he placed a hand on her back. "You did well." he complimented. "So, how do you believe he performed?" he asked Dragonite, wanting to her hear opinion.

She smirked, and turned her head towards Natsu. "Pinky wasn't half bad. I'll admit, those fire attacks of his were pretty powerful. I guess that should be expected from someone with the power to slay dragons." she responded.

He nodded his head in understanding. He assumed that Natsu's magic would be somewhat effective against Dragonite, but he couldn't be certain until they tested it. Still, even though they said they would go all out, it was obvious that Natsu was holding back, and the same could be said about Dragonite. They were using the extent of their power that they could use without causing harm to the people watching. If they were alone, the result would've been different.

However, that doesn't make it any easier on Natsu. Lowell can see him clenching his fists in anger, and he doesn't blame him. Losing to something that you are supposed to have the power to slay; it would bother Lowell, as well, if he was in his shoes. Still, if he lets this one match, which was ended in a tie, get to him, then he will never become stronger.

Lowell and Dragonite walked towards Natsu, who is still kneeling on the ground. However, Natsu heard them coming, and he looked up at them.

"Are you still paralyzed?" Lowell asked.

Natsu was hesitant to answer, but he still shook his head. "No. I already burned it away." he responded.

A small smile appeared on Lowell's face. He reached a hand down, offering it to Natsu. Natsu just looked at his hand for a moment, before begrudgingly accepting it and letting Lowell pull him to his feet.

"Don't let this one battle get to you, Natsu." Lowell said. "It was ended in a tie- "

"I would've lost." Natsu said, cutting him off. He began to clench his fists even harder. "I can tell that she was holding back, and I still ended up in worse shape than she did."

"That may be true, but you were also holding back." Lowell said, shocking Natsu. "I highly doubt that was all the power you have, Natsu. However, since this fight was in front of so many civilians, it is understandable to hold back, enough to where they won't get hurt. You may be reckless, but that doesn't make you an idiot." Lowell explained. "If it were under any other circumstances, the fight would've been much closer."

Seeing as how this didn't make Natsu feel much better, Lowell sighed. "You know, that was one of the most fun battles I have had in a long time." he said. This managed to catch Natsu's interests.

"You didn't even fight." Natsu responded. "How was that fun?" he asked.

Lowell smiled and looked at Dragonite. "In Pokemon battles, the trainer commends the Pokemon, while the Pokemon fights. However, both are involved in the battle. Just because one part of the team doesn't fight, that doesn't make them any less involved in the action." Lowell explained. "It is a team effort, and each part of the team must have full faith in the other, otherwise, the team would just fall apart."

Dragonite nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. What Lowell is trying to say, is that even though you lost, it didn't make the battle any less fun or exciting. The last real challenge we have had was Diantha, and that was a year ago. You may not have won this fight, but the next time we fight, thing will definitely be different."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. "Next time?" he asked.

Dragonite smirked. "What? Did you think that I would just let things be determined by this one match?" she asked. "After all, it was a tie. The true winner is still to be determined." she explained, extending her hand for Natsu to shake.

He was still for a moment, but a big, toothy grin soon found its way to his face, and he shook her hand. "You better believe it! The next time we fight, things will be a lot different!" he announced.

"I can't wait." Dragonite responded.

Suddenly, the three of them were surrounded by different members of the guild, all of them talking about how crazy the fight was.

"That was so intense!" Macao exclaimed.

"Yeah, that was crazy." Wakaba agreed.

"That was how a real man fights!" Elfman exclaimed.

"How dare you lose, Natsu?! I lost 10,000 Jewel because of you!" the master exclaimed, angry because he lost money from the bet. Several people actually thought that it would end in a tie, so Makarov still ended up losing his money.

Wendy walked up to Natsu, Carla following right beside her.

"T-that was an incredible fight, Natsu." she said. "If you want, I can heal your wounds." she suggested.

Natsu gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Wendy."

She returned the smile, and then she turned to Dragonite. "What about you? Do you need me to heal you, as well?" she asked.

Dragonite shook her head. "Thanks, but Lowell can handle it." she replied.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding, and he took out two items from his backpack. They are a Full Heal, and a Super Potion. Lowell first sprayed the Full Heal, and then he sprayed the Super Potion. Before anyone could blink, Dragonite's injuries were completely gone, and she flexed her wings to stretch them out a bit.

"Good as new!" she responded.

Wendy looked at Dragonite in shock. "W-wow! That was fast. How did you heal so quickly?"

"I used a Full Heal to get rid of the burns, and then I used a Super Potion to heal the rest of her injuries." Lowell explained. "Most trainers carry these with them, in case their Pokemon get hurt."

"It doesn't hurt to be too prepared." Greninja said, appearing next to Lowell, who nodded his head in agreement.

Footsteps were heard behind them, and they saw Levy and the others walking towards them.

"That was quite the impressive battle." Erza commented. "Maybe I will test your strength myself, one day."

Gray scoffed. "I should've known you were going to lose, flame brain." he said, resulting in Natsu to try and punch him in the face, but he was held back by Greninja.

"At least he didn't give up. I'm sure he could've won, if the fight wasn't stopped." Happy stated.

Lucy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. It doesn't matter who wins or loses. He didn't give up, which is what is most important." she said with a smile.

Lowell looked at Levy, and he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. I guess this goes to show that betting is never a good idea."

She just shrugged her shoulders. "It's alright. I didn't bet very much. Besides, it gave Ralts and I a good look at how a trainer and their partner battle." she said.

Ralts, who is still being held by Levy, nodded his head in agreement. He has a big smile on his face. "Yeah! I can't wait until I get to battle, like that." he said.

Lowell chuckled at bit at his eagerness. "Well, you may get that chance sooner than you might think. Tomorrow, we will be going to Kalos, and you might get the opportunity to battle someone with less experience, much like you and Levy." he said.

The thought made Levy and Ralts excited. They may finally get the chance to prove they have what it takes to make a good team.

"Won't you be focusing on negotiating the preparations for the tournament, as well as shipments of Pokemon-related items to Fiore?" Erza asked. "Will there really be time for battling?"

Lowell sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I know I told Gran Doma it would take about a week, but realistically, it will take more time than that. Also, I will not be handling everything. I will speak with the president of the Pokeball factory, as well as a couple of berry farmers, to see if I can get them to agree to send some berries to Fiore. Diantha will be speaking with people from the Pokemon League Committee, to get them to help with preparations for the tournament." he explained. "Surely, there will be some time in between for Levy to battle someone."

The others nodded in understanding. It will be a very busy week, or two weeks, depending on what happens, but that doesn't mean there won't be time for them to explore a bit.

"So, who is actually going with you?" Gray asked, curiously.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Levy, of course, and Natsu, because he would start whining if I didn't let him come with us."

Happy flew in front of Lowell's face. "Don't forget about me!" he stated. "If Natsu's going, then I'm going, too." he said. He then flew over to Wendy just finished healing Natsu, and he landed on his shoulder.

"As long as there is enough room on the helicopter, then I don't care who wants to come." Lowell said. "Greninja doesn't like flying, so he will travel in his Pokeball. That leaves four seats. However, with Levy and Natsu coming along, that leaves two remaining seats." he said, not including Happy, because he can just ride on Natsu's lap, or something.

"If you two want to go, you can." Erza said to Lucy and Gray. "I will stay behind to make sure that the other members don't slack off."

Lucy looked at Erza, wearily. "Um…are you sure that Natsu and Gray both going is the smartest idea?" she asked. "You won't be there to stop them if they start fighting."

Erza nodded her head. "True, but Lowell and Greninja will be there. I doubt there will be much of a problem."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Of course, there won't. The reason why is because I am forbidding anyone from using magic, while we are in Kalos." he said, shocking the mages around them.

"What?!" Natsu yelled, angrily. "Why can't we use magic?" he asked.

"It is simple, really." Greninja responded with crossed arms. "The people of Kalos don't know of magic, yet, so they would be really freaked out, if they saw someone summoning spirits, or creating fire and ice out of thin air."

"He's not wrong." Levy responded. "After all, the Pokemon can be considered magical creatures, in Fiore. However, on Earth, magic isn't normal, so it would be weird to see people using magic. It would be best to wait until after it is officially revealed, to not cause panic."

Lowell smiled, glad that someone understands the reasoning. "I don't mind if you use it when no one is around, but at least in public, please restrain from using magic."

That doesn't seem like much of a problem, for Lucy. He also doubts Levy would make the mistake of using her magic in front of the civilians. However, he isn't quite sure Natsu and Gray will follow that rule.

"If you want to cause trouble, then you can just stay here." Lowell said to Gray and Natsu. "I won't be dealing with foolishness."

Gray and Natsu both mumbled something under their breath, but after receiving a glare from Lowell and Greninja, they turned away from each other. They just gave a nod of their heads, saying that they understood.

* * *

After about half an hour, the crowd was gone, and whatever damaged was caused by the fight was cleaned. Of course, the guild ended up having to pay for the windows that broke during the fight. Master Makarov is just happy that more significant damage wasn't caused, otherwise, it would've costed a fortune to repair.

For the rest of the day, people went about their regular business. Some went on jobs, while others simply stayed in the guild hall and talked, while some decided to get into fights. The latter mainly being Gray and Natsu.

Lowell and Greninja sat at a table with Levy, Lucy, Wendy, and Erza, while drinking some juice that Mira gave them. Of course, he noticed how Mira and Lucy acted when around him and Levy, but the two of them tried to ignore it, the best they could. If either of them tried to make a joke at their expense, they would quickly change the subject.

For the most part, they ended up talking quite a lot about Kalos. Lucy and Levy wanted to learn more, considering that they will be going there, a day from now. He gave them a basic rundown of the region, going a bit more in detail about the places they may end up visiting while they are there.

"So, this professor that you work for, is in Lumiose City?" Levy asked, to which Lowell nodded his head.

"Yes. That is the first place we will be going. Diantha will be meeting us at his lab, although she may get there after us, because she will be trying not to draw attention to herself." he explained.

The others understand that, because it must be hard for a celebrity like her to walk around without being noticed.

"When she is in public, she hardly gets a moment to herself." Greninja stated. "People always swarm her, wanting her autograph. Sure, she likes being able to make others happy, but sometimes it can be rather tiring, to always be surrounded by other people."

Levy nodded her head in understanding. "Yeah. I guess that is another reason why Lowell would refuse the title as champion. He doesn't want the attention it would bring."

Lowell couldn't help but chuckle. She knows him too well, already. "You're not wrong." he responded. "Still, I respect her for being able to handle it. She is one of the people that I look up to the most."

"And the other people you look up to are your sister and your father, right?" Levy asked. She remembered him mentioning his father on the train ride to Crocus, and he has told her a couple of things about his sister.

His mood seemed to falter after the mention of his father, but he still nodded his head. "Yes. My sister gave me hope when I had almost given up on everything, and my father is the one who inspired me to become a trainer, to begin with. I wouldn't be where I am today without them."

Lucy looked at Lowell, kind of shocked. "I didn't realize that you have a sister." she said. "Is she a trainer like you?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Kind of. She is a trainer, but she doesn't take on the gyms like most trainers do. She is a performer, which means that she focuses on making her Pokemon and her Pokémon's moves look good. Personally, I don't get the appeal, but I have always enjoyed watching my sister and her Pokemon perform. It was her dream since she was a child, and she was finally able to achieve it. I couldn't be happier for her." he explained with a smile on his face.

Suddenly, Greninja remembered something. "Wasn't your sister supposed to perform, the day that you got called to the professor's lab?" he asked Lowell.

Lowell frowned. He had almost forgotten about that. He had missed her performance, and he was looking forward to it, as well. "Yes, she was. I guess I will just have to ask mom how she did the next time I speak with her."

"Why don't you just ask your sister?" Erza asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "She is always busy attending performances, so we rarely get to see each other, anymore. When we do, it is usually over the phone." he explained sadly. He would like to see her, but both siblings are busy, now. He is going to have to wait until things calm down a bit.

"I'd like to meet her, someday." Levy said, shocking Lowell. "She sounds like a wonderful person."

Lowell smiled. He couldn't argue with that. She is one of the kindest people he has ever known, though she does like to tease him when she gets the chance.

Suddenly, he isn't sure if he wants Levy to meet his sister. Surely, she is going to end up teasing him like Mira and Lucy have. Plus, the fact that she is his older sister means that she will definitely take it too far.

Lowell sighed. "That'll probably be in the distant future, so I should just forget about it." he thought.

* * *

After a while, everyone returned home, and Lowell and Greninja returned to the forest. He and the others agreed to meet back at the guild tomorrow morning, since that is where the helicopter is supposed to pick them up.

He is a little anxious about going back to Kalos. He shouldn't be, but he is. He is worried that he will mess something up. Lowell has never had such an important job before. Sure, he isn't doing it alone, but he is still nervous that things will go wrong.

He turned to his right, and he saw Greninja laying on the ground, with his arms behind his head. He has already fallen asleep. Lowell knows that his Pokemon will support him, no matter what happens, and so will his new friends.

Lowell laid down next to Greninja, and a small chuckle escaped his lips. He would've never expected he would meet so many new people, let alone people with magical powers. Even now, it seems a little ridiculous, but that's alright. After all, Fairy Tail is like one big family, and family helps one another. He knows that, even though he may have to say goodbye to them someday, he can trust them to back him up, if he needs help. He doesn't need to worry about messing up, because if he does, his friends will help him fix his mistakes.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry that this chapter was a little late. I meant to get this out on Friday, but I have been trying to nurse a bad headache that I have been having since Friday afternoon. I worked on math work for nearly four or five hours without taking much of a break, and I was a little irritated, especially after taking a math test, only to realize how badly I messed up on some of the questions. Finals are coming up soon, as well, and I am just very stressed. I think that stress is what caused the headache, considering that I didn't get it until after I finished doing the math work.**

 **Anyways, what I am trying to say is that I haven't been able to really concentrate very well. It's not an excuse for me to get lazy with my writing, but since my headache wasn't as bad today, I managed to get this chapter done. I am off for Thanksgiving this week, and while I still have more work I need to do, I will try to get another chapter out. I am also working on a new story, that should be coming out after finals are over. We shall see, though.**

 **Now that all of that is out of the way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you did, please leave a review, because any feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope you all have a wonderful day/night!**


	11. Chapter 11

In front of the Fairy Tail guild hall, a large crowd of people have gathered. Their attention was caught by the helicopter that landed in front of the guild, the propellers still spinning rather quickly. They are curious as to what the strange contraption is. Many people murmured to each other in the crowd, trying to figure out what it is.

"Is it a magic mobile?" one man asked.

"It must be. Although, I have never seen an aerial magic mobile, before." a woman responded.

"What is it doing here?" a child asked, looking at the helicopter with confusion, as well as wonder.

They were snapped out of their thoughts when they heard someone screaming. It sounded like it was coming from the guild hall, so many fixated their gaze on the guild's doors. However, they weren't sure what to expect, so they were a little surprised when they watched Lowell drag Natsu out of the guild hall by his legs.

The pink-haired dragon slayer is clawing at the ground, trying to get away from the metal deathtrap behind him. He wanted to see Kalos, but if he had to go by helicopter, he would rather do anything else.

"No! I am not getting on that deathtrap!" he yelled. The audience gathered outside deadpanned as they watched the mighty Salamander struggle to escape from Lowell's hold.

Lowell sighed. "Calm down, Natsu. The ride shouldn't be more than an hour or two." he said, but his words fell onto deaf ears. Natsu just continued to scratch away at the ground, kicking his legs, hoping to break free of Lowell's grip.

"I am not getting on that thing!" Natsu yelled.

Lucy, Happy, Gray, and Levy all stand in the doorframe of the guild hall, watching with slight amusement.

"I guess his excitement of seeing Kalos was quickly overwhelmed by his motion sickness." Levy responded with a light giggle. She feels bad for him, but she also must admit that it is sometimes funny to watch the dragon slayer struggle with his weakness.

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. He didn't even pick up his bag, so she was nominated to carry it. Like the others, she has her own bag filled with clothes and other necessities on her back, while she is carrying Natsu's in her hands.

"He could've at least quit being stubborn for one second so that he could pick up his stuff." she said, irritated.

"Maybe carrying his stuff will help you lose some weight, Lucy." Happy suggested. "You are getting pretty heavy."

Suddenly, Lucy bopped him on the head, causing a large bump to appear on it. "That's what you get, stupid cat!" she yelled angrily.

Gray simply watched with a smirk on his face. "The idiot can't shut up for one second. He claims that he is stronger than me, but he can't even ride on a vehicle without acting like a big baby."

Natsu heard Gray's taunt, and he briefly stopped struggling with Lowell to glare at Gray. "I heard that, you strippe-!" he was silenced by Lowell picking him up and punching him in the gut. He then dropped to the ground, unconscious, and Lowell continued to drag him to the helicopter.

He briefly looked back at the others, not bothering to stop walking. "We should get going. I'd like to at least get in the air before this idiot starts complaining, again." he said.

The others exchanged a quick look with each other before shrugging their shoulders and following behind Lowell.

Once they reached the helicopter, Lowell quickly threw Natsu in one of the back seats before going to sit in the front, next to the pilot. The others quickly followed, sitting in the back with Natsu. Lucy is sitting in between Natsu in Gray, with Happy sitting in her lap. Levy is sitting on the left of Gray, taking a quick peek out of the window.

"I hope you're all buckled up, back there, because we are taking off." the pilot said, starting up the helicopter. The propellers began to spin, and Levy gasped a bit, when she noticed the ground getting father and farther away. Soon, they were high in the air, and everything on the ground below them appeared like ants.

Lowell looked back, and he saw how mesmerized Levy was. This brought a small smile to his face. "I'm guessing that you have never been this high up, before?" he asked loudly, trying to speak over the propellers.

Levy nodded her head without looking back. "Its amazing!" he exclaimed, watching as they passed over the beach on the edge of Magnolia. Now, they are above the ocean, and it is only a matter of time before they reach their final destination. "How often do you fly?" Levy asked.

"A lot." Lowell responded. "Although, I often ride on Charizard or Dragonite's back. I very seldom ride in a helicopter."

Lucy looked over Natsu's unconscious form to peer out of the window overlooking the sparkling, crystal-blue water. She'll admit, looking down at the ocean from so high in the air looks beautiful. She is just grateful that, for once, when she is flying, she isn't being dangled from Happy's paws or in the danger of falling to her death.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Gray looked at the pilot. "So, how long will it take to get to Kalos?" he asked.

The pilot kept his eyes on the sky in front of him. "It shouldn't take longer than two hours. We should be arriving in Lumiose City approximately around noon." he answered. "Now, if you all wouldn't mind being quiet, I can focus on steering the helicopter."

Taking the hint, Lowell and the others decided to be quiet, and to just admire the view. Lowell's thoughts began to wander to the professor. _"I wonder how he has been. I know it has only been two weeks since I left, but surely something has changed in that much time. Hopefully, he hasn't hurt himself, again."_ he thought. The professor is a smart man, but he can often be rather clumsy.

The thought put a small grin on his face. He can't wait to see him again. Diantha said that she would meet them at the professor's lab, so it won't be long before he gets to see him. He also began to think about possibly dropping by his own house, after his meeting with the professor and Diantha. Surely his mother would like to see him. Although, he will have to wait and see. After all, there are things that he needs to get done.

* * *

The ride to Lumiose City was peaceful for about an hour. However, that is when Natsu regained consciousness, and he realized that he was on a moving vehicle. He kept trying to open the door to the helicopter to try and get out, but Lucy managed to hold him back.

Lowell shook his head at the sight. "I knew that he got motion sick, but I didn't realize that it was _that_ bad." he commented.

The pilot sighed. "As long as he doesn't puke all over the seats, I don't care. It's a pain to wash them." he responded. Although, he then shook his head, with a hint of amusement. "Still, those wizards sure are something. Even when nauseous, that guy is still a handful." he said to Lowell.

Lowell looked back at them, and he saw Levy giggling at Natsu from the other side of the helicopter. She has a bright smile on her face. He turned back around, looking at the clouds outside the window.

"They aren't all so bad. It just takes some time to get used to them." he responded with a small grin.

The pilot just shrugged his shoulders and continued flying. He is going to be their pilot until they all return to Earthland, so for his sake, he hopes that he gets used to them. Otherwise, this is going to be a long week or two.

Another hour passed, and they are almost to Lumiose City. Lowell can even see the Prism Tower in the distance. Lowell turned to face the pilot.

"We should probably land, before we get to the city." he said. "There won't be much space to land in the city, and I would like to attract as little attention as possible. Though, with Natsu, I highly doubt that we will be able to avoid attention entirely." he explained with a small sweat-drop.

The pilot nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. I can see a small clearing up ahead. I'll land there, and I'll wait for you to return."

Lowell shook his head. "No need for that. We may be here for a day or two, so I am not going to make you wait there for that long. Just make sure that everything is locked up, and then wait somewhere in the city. I'll contact you when we are ready to leave."

With that said, the pilot began to slow down as he neared the clearing in the woods. As the helicopter lowered to the ground, the leaves and the grass began to blow in the wind, and many smaller Pokemon began to scurry to the tree line to avoid getting squished.

The moment the helicopter touched the ground, one of the doors swung open, and Natsu went crashing to the ground. His face is still a little green from the nausea, but he seems much happier than he was when he was on the helicopter.

"I am never getting on that thing again." he mumbled, still on the ground.

Lowell jumped down from the helicopter, and Greninja appeared beside him in a flash of red light.

"Sorry to break it to you, Natsu, but most of the travel is going to be done by helicopter." Greninja said, which made Natsu groan in discomfort.

"You didn't even ride on the helicopter." Natsu protested. However, he was then crushed by his own bag, which Lucy had just thrown onto his back.

"He's got a point." she responded. "Why were you riding in your Pokeball?" she asked.

Levy nodded her head in agreement. She remembered the time when she first met Lowell and Greninja. He had come out of his Pokeball as soon as Lowell got off the helicopter. "You did the same thing when we first met." she replied.

Greninja just shrugged his shoulders and looked away from them, while Lowell let out a small chuckle. "That would be because Charizard gave him a little of a fright, when he was riding on his back. He's been afraid of flying, ever since."

Greninja glared at his trainer. "I'm not afraid of flying. I would just rather walk on my own two feet, then be stuck high in the air, not knowing whether or not I am going to plummet to the ground."

There was a small moment of silence. "So…you're afraid of heights, then." Gray stated.

"It sounds more like paranoia to me." Levy responded, with a small grin on her face. She can see that they are beginning to get on Greninja's nerves, but she can't help but join in on the teasing. She isn't being serious, but she enjoys seeing the reactions he has.

"I'm not paranoid!" he exclaimed, turning his glare towards Levy, and then he moved it to Gray. "And I am _not_ afraid of heights!"

Levy and Gray raised their hands above their heads in surrender. As much as they love teasing the ninja Pokemon, they would rather not be on the receiving end of one of his attacks.

Lowell chuckled and placed his hand on Greninja's shoulder. "Relax, buddy. We're only messing with you." he said reassuringly. After taking a small pause, he decided to speak again. "Can't you just admit that you are afraid of heights, though?" he suggested playfully, which resulted in him getting punched in the shoulder by Greninja.

Lowell stumbled back a bit, rubbing his shoulder to alleviate some of the pain. "Alright! Alright. I give up. You're not afraid of heights." he said, giving up on the teasing. "You happy?" he asked.

Greninja just nodded his head, and he walked past Lowell with some stride in his steps. This made Lowell sigh. "I just can't seem to win against him, can I?" he asked himself, thinking back on all the times Greninja has won their pointless arguments.

Levy walked up to him, concern written on her face. "Are you alright?" she asked. "That seemed like a pretty hard hit."

Lowell just shrugged off her concern. "Don't worry about it. I doubt he was actually mad. It takes a lot more than that much teasing to get him angry. That was just his way of telling me to shut up." he explained.

"I don't think I have ever actually seen you hit each other, before." Happy responded.

Lucy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. You two seem to get along so well."

"We do." Lowell responded. "Just because we get along, that doesn't mean that we don't get into our own stupid arguments. Of course, most of them have no real meaning. Sometimes we just like to joke with each other." he explained. The only reason why Greninja punched him like that, is because Lowell always jokes with him about his fear of heights. Charizard does it, as well, and that is only because he thought the little prank he pulled on Greninja was quite funny.

Soon enough, Lowell began to follow after Greninja. "Come on. We don't want to get separated, before we even reach the city." he called out to them.

The others agreed, and they were about to follow them, before they realized that Natsu was still on the ground. Happy landed in front of Natsu's face, shaking his head with his paws.

"Come on, Natsu! It's time to get up." he told his friend. However, Natsu just stayed on the ground, mumbling something under his breath that the blue Exceed couldn't understand.

Gray sighed, before walking up to Natsu and picking him up by the collar. "Come on, flame brain. We'll be left behind if we don't get going." he said.

Suddenly, it was as if Natsu's motion sickness never happened. He retaliated by punching Gray in the back of the head. "How about you put some clothes on first!" Natsu retorted.

Gray looked down at himself in confusion. He realized that his shirt was missing, leaving him in only his shorts. "Where the hell did it go?!" he asked.

Lucy and Levy watched the fight begin to unfold, shaking their heads. Levy has an amused expression on her face, while Lucy is scowling at them.

"Can those two ever go without fighting, just for a day?" Lucy asked in disbelief.

Levy shrugged her shoulders. "Well, if they didn't fight, I suppose that they wouldn't be the Natsu and Gray we all know." she responded with a light giggle. "Come on. Let's go catch up with Lowell and Greninja. Happy can take care of these two." she said, grabbing Lucy's hand and following after the trainer and his Pokemon.

Happy heard them leaving, and he began to panic a bit. "Wait! Don't leave me alone with these two!" he shouted at them, but they didn't turn around.

The fighting between the dragon slayer and ice-maker mage was about to intensify, but they were then surrounded by a glowing blue light, ceasing the fighting immediately.

"W-what the hell is going on?!" Gray asked no one in particular.

However, Natsu recognized this from before. "Wait. Isn't this- "he was dropped to the ground, causing him to hit the ground face first. The same happened to Gray.

"Erza is not here to handle your foolishness, so I guess I will have to do it for her." a familiar voice cut through the forest. At first, Happy couldn't see where the voice was coming from, but then he saw Gardevoir walk into the clearing. "Now, if you two are done fighting, we should probably catch up with the others." she sternly said. She saw that the two were still considering fighting, and she sighed. "Do you want me to knock you out and carry you there, or are you going to grow up and act like your own age?"

The tone that Gardevoir used reminded them so much of Erza, and fear began to creep down their spines. Not wanting to anger the embrace Pokemon, they began to follow after the others, trying to avoid looking back.

Gardevoir sighed as she watched them run away. "Some people just never learn." she commented. She then looked down, and she realized Happy was still there. Her eyes softened, since she knows that he was trying to deal with the two annoying teenagers. "Let's meet up with the others. We shouldn't keep them waiting." she said kindly. Happy, not wanting to make her anger return, decided to do as she said.

Minutes later, everyone finally reunited, and Gardevoir stayed out to make sure that Natsu and Gray don't start fighting again. For the time being, they are quiet and avoiding each other's glance, but if they start something, Gardevoir will quickly break them up.

"It's almost as if Erza actually came with us." Lucy commented playfully.

Gardevoir just shrugged her shoulders. "It is no different than dealing with Charizard and Dragonite. They are friends, but they can get too rough with each other, sometimes." she responded.

Greninja looked back at his friend. "True, but that is how they became as strong as they are now. Their constant fighting has helped them hone their skills." he replied. He then turned his gaze towards Natsu and Gray. "I don't see the problem with a friendly rivalry, but you two take it too far. At least Charizard and Dragonite are able to tell when they are getting too intense. Well, most of the time, at least."

Levy smiled after hearing that. After seeing both Dragonite and Charizard fight, it is easy to see how they would get out of hand rather quickly. Neither of them are weak, but like Greninja said, they grew stronger by testing each other's strengths and helping the other get stronger.

Thinking about Charizard, it reminded her about something. "Hey, Lowell, is Charizard still upset about what happened with Toxicroak?" she asked. She knows that Charizard was a little hard on himself, because he felt bad for her getting hurt. Sometimes it can't be avoided, but it didn't help that Charizard was easily distracted in that fight.

Lowell sighed. "Yeah. He knows that it isn't his fault, but he still feels like he could've done better. Although I don't believe he should be so torn over this, I do believe he could've done better. He can be clumsy and careless, sometimes, but he normally doesn't get caught off-guard like that." he explained.

"It happens to the best of us, though." Greninja responded, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "He messed up, but when the time comes, he will make up for it. I am sure of that."

Gardevoir nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. He isn't one to let things keep him down, for too long. He is determined; I'll give him that."

Suddenly, Ralts came out of his Pokeball, effectively startling everyone, aside from Lowell, Greninja, and Gardevoir. He appeared right next to Gardevoir, and he looked up at her in amazement. He hasn't seen many Gardevoir before, let alone a shiny one. She looked down at him, giving him a warm smile that caused him to blush as a response.

He looked away momentarily before speaking. "If it wasn't for him, we all would've gotten hurt. He may have messed up, but he proved himself."

Levy smiled down at Ralts. "True, but don't sell yourself short. You gave him the opening to attack. It was thanks to both of you that we were able to defeat Toxicroak." she said.

"I don't know much about this Toxicroak guy, but it must've taken some guts for you to stand up against him." Gray said to Ralts.

Ralts looked up at him with confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "My ability is Synchronize, not Guts." he said, making Lowell and the other Pokemon laugh. Levy knows some things about abilities, but not enough to find it funny.

"What is he talking about?" Lucy asked, a little confused.

"Each Pokemon has a special ability." Greninja started. "Guts is an ability that raises your physical attack power if inflicted with a status condition, such as poison or paralysis. Synchronize is an ability that passes a status effect onto the Pokemon that inflicted it." he explained.

"For example: if Toxicroak were to poison Ralts, then the poison would also be inflicted on Toxicroak. However, in that case, poison-type Pokemon can't be poisoned, so the ability wouldn't actually work in that situation." Lowell explained.

Levy frowned. She doesn't like thinking about Ralts being in the same pain that she was in when she was poisoned. It hurt, and she could feel all of her energy slowly draining from her body. She wouldn't want that to happen to anyone, especially not to Ralts. However, she understands what they are trying to say.

"All of this talk about abilities and status effects is confusing." Natsu stated plainly.

Gray laughed. "If you weren't such an idiot, then it wouldn't be so hard to understand."

Natsu was about to punch him, but he noticed the small glare that Gardevoir sent them. Both boys quickly turned away from each other, not wanting to face her wrath again.

The more that they walk, the more Pokemon that they see. Several Fletchling and Pidgey stare down at them from the trees, curious as to why the humans came from so deep in the forest. The bushes to the left of them began to rustle, and a couple of Zigzagoons popped their heads out and watched them.

Levy smiled at the unfamiliar Pokemon. She is amazed by how many different Pokemon there are. She wonders how long it would take to see all of them.

"I can't believe that this is all just a part of a normal day for you." Levy commented, taking in her surroundings. "They all seem so peaceful. It isn't like what is going on in Fiore. If the people and mages could see this, maybe they wouldn't be so afraid of them."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "I know. That is why, hopefully, after the live press conference, travel between Ishgar and the regions will be set up. Airports could be built in different towns and cities in the kingdom, and there could be different ships that take you to different regions." he explained. "That is why these negotiations will be so important. Not many people from the regions or Fiore know much about the other. It is important to set these things up, so that the people from both worlds can establish a trusting relationship with each other."

It won't happen right away, of course. It will be a long process, but hopefully, they will be able to understand each other, someday. However, the first step is to get these negotiations done. After that, they can finally start making some progress.

* * *

After walking for nearly twenty minutes, they finally arrived at one of the gates leading into Lumiose City. Gardevoir returned to her Pokeball, because she didn't want to attract unnecessary attention. The people of Lumiose have seen her around before, but since a shiny Pokemon is rare, she still attracts a lot of attention.

"Stay close to Greninja and I." Lowell said as they entered the city. After stepping out of the gate, the mages took in their new surroundings with wide eyes. The size of Lumiose can compare to that of Crocus, but its technology is much more advanced than in Crocus. They watched as taxis flew by on the streets, and they had to avoid bumping into the many people wandering the city's streets. "Unless you know your way around the streets, it is very easy to get lost."

"I didn't expect it to be so busy." Levy commented as their group walked by a group of tourists. "Do you live here?" she asked, curiously.

He shook his head. "No. We live in a small town south of here. However, I work for Professor Sycamore, and his lab is located in this city. We come here very often, so it is only natural that we have learned the city's layout. The professor's lab isn't a dead giveaway, either, so it would be very hard to find it if we didn't know our way around." he explained.

The group passed by a small building, and when looking inside the window, they could see a woman bathing a white, dog-like Pokemon.

"What is that?" Gray asked.

Lowell and Greninja turned, and they saw that they were looking at Friseur Furfrou. "That is Friseur Furfrou. The Pokemon the woman is grooming is called a Furfrou. A lot of people go to that shop to get their Furfrou groomed. There are a lot of different styles, and since you can find Furfrou on one of the routes surrounding the city, this shop is quite popular." Greninja explained.

As they continued through the streets, they passed even more shops. Natsu saw several cafes, and he would've made a mad dash for them, if Greninja hadn't stopped him.

"We can get something to eat later, Natsu." Lowell told him. "Right now, we need to keep heading towards the professor's lab."

Levy has heard him mention the professor several times, but he hasn't ever described him. "What is the professor like?" she asked curiously.

Lowell smiled. "The professor is a kind man. He has done a lot for my Pokemon and I, so I am very grateful for him. He is a bit clumsy at times, but he is also a very smart man. He was actually the first professor to start studying the phenomenon known as Mega Evolution." he explained.

Lucy raised a brow. "Mega Evolution? What is that?" she asked.

Placing a hand on his chin, Lowell answered. "The professor explains it better than I do, but it is essentially a temporary evolution that gives a Pokemon, who is already fully evolved, a boost in power. However, it requires several things." he explained.

"What things?" Natsu asked, interested in Mega Evolution. If he ever gets his own Pokemon, he wants to experience Mega Evolution for himself.

"First, you need two stones. One of them is held by a certain Pokemon, while the other is kept by the trainer. They are called a Mega Stone and a Keystone." Lowell explained, holding up his right hand. "The stone in my ring is a Keystone, and several of my Pokemon have Mega Stones of their own."

The others looked at him in shock. They knew that his team was strong, but they didn't realize that they had access to such a power up.

"Wait." Levy said. "You said that you need several things. What are the others?"

Lowell grinned and looked at Greninja. "A trainer and their Pokemon must share a strong bond in order to Mega Evolve. However, not every Pokemon can Mega Evolve. Greninja, for example, can't Mega Evolve, but Pokemon such as Charizard or Gardevoir can." he explained.

"Can we see you do it?!" Natsu asked excitedly.

Lowell laughed at his enthusiasm, but he shook his head. "Not now, Natsu. I only resort to Mega Evolution when I determine it is necessary. Besides, it'll be that much more of a treat whenever you finally get to see it." he responded, making Natsu pout a little.

"Fine, but I'll get you to show me, eventually." he claimed.

"Or, Levy will end up showing it to you." Lowell responded, shocking the others a little. "Maybe not now, but in the future, either one of Ralts' final evolutions will be able to Mega Evolve. I also know someone who might be able to help her get a Keystone, so all that would be left is to find a Mega Stone." he explained.

Levy looked down at Ralts, a little surprised herself. Ralts has a shocked look on his face, as well. Neither of them were expecting him to say that.

The expressions on their faces made Lowell chuckle. "Don't worry. That is further down the line. Neither of you have even had a Pokemon battle, yet. There is plenty of time to worry about Mega Evolution later." he said.

"It does sound cool though, don't you think?" Ralts asked Levy.

Levy shrugged her shoulders. "I guess. Although, like he said, we don't need to worry about that, now. We should just focus on learning the basics, first."

Ralts nodded his head in agreement. "Right. I can't wait until we have our first battle. I'm going to prove that I can get strong and keep you safe." he declared, making Levy giggle.

She scooped him up into her arms and gave him a small hug. "I am sure that you will." she reassured him. She then returned her attention to the others around her. "We should probably keep going. We don't want to keep them waiting."

The others agreed, and they continued their search for the professor's lab. Although, it didn't take them very long to find it. The city is big, but Lowell and Greninja have taken this same route many times in the past. After about fifteen minutes of walking, they finally arrived at their destination.

However, the mages had varying reactions to the lab.

"Isn't this just a house?" Gray asked.

"It doesn't look very big." Lucy commented.

"I would've imagined that it would be a lot more…technological than this." Levy stated.

"When can we eat?" Natsu and Happy asked simultaneously.

Lowell and Greninja laughed at their reactions. "I assure you that this is the lab. I thought the same things, aside from the food thing, the first time I ever saw the lab. Although, there are still different machines located inside the lab." he explained as he knocked on the door.

It took a moment, but he could hear footsteps coming from inside the lab. A few moments later, the door swung open, and he saw the smiling face of Sophie.

"I had a feeling that was you, Lowell." she said before looking behind him. She quickly adjusted her glasses. "So, who are your friends?" she asked.

Lowell moved out of the way so he could introduce them properly. "These are mages from Fairy Tail." he said. "The one with pink hair is Natsu. Gray is the one without a shirt. Lucy is the blonde. Levy is the one with the blue hair, and Happy is the blue, talking cat."

She looked at the mages, surprised. She knew that he would be bringing a couple of people with him, but he wasn't expecting all of them to be mages, and she also wasn't expecting to see a talking, blue cat.

Nonetheless, Sophie still gave them a warm smile. "It's nice to meet all of you. My name is Sophie, and I am another one of the professor's assistants." she introduced herself.

"Speaking of the professor, is he inside?" Greninja asked.

Sophie nodded her head, before her smile grew. "Yes. Diantha hasn't arrived yet, but that is because she is trying to attract as little attention to her as possible. However, there is a little surprise waiting for you inside the lab. I have a feeling that you are going to enjoy it, Lowell."

Lowell raised a brow at her, but he didn't say anything. He just decided that he wasn't going to see what surprise she was talking about, for himself. He walked straight into the lab, the others following closely behind him.

The first thing that the mages noticed was how much the inside of the lab resembled a miniature mansion. There are tables and sofas, as well as different decorations that go on the walls and on the tables. However, they noticed a couple of machines towards the back of the lab, as well.

"If I didn't see the machines, then I wouldn't believe this was a lab." Lucy commented, to which the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"It does feel homey, but that just means that we can work comfortably." Sophie responded.

Lowell can already hear voices coming from another room. He recognizes one as the professor, and another one sounds like his mother. The professor must've told her that he would be here today. That must be the surprise that Sophie mentioned. However, he then heard another voice. It was familiar, but he couldn't determine who it belonged to.

He walked into the other room, and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw who was sitting next to his mother. It is a woman who looks a couple years older than Lowell. Like Lowell, she has a lean figure, but without the muscles. She also has paler skin than him. Her hair is black and stops just below her shoulder blades, held back by a blue hairband. She is wearing a long-sleeved, blue sweater that stops just below her waist, a pair of white pants that hug her legs, and a pair of open-toed, white sandals. Around her neck, she is wearing a silver, Pokeball-shaped locket with a Mega Stone where the button should be.

She turned around, and her cerulean-blue eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Lowell. However, a happy smile formed on her lips. Before Lowell had a chance to do anything, the woman had already run towards him and gave him a big hug. For a second, Lowell was shocked, but he soon hugged her back.

"It's been a year since we last saw each other in person." the woman commented, letting go of him.

Lowell smiled at her, nodding his head in agreement. "Yeah. Although, it isn't my fault that someone has been busy for the past year." he replied jokingly, knowing that he hasn't had much spare time lately either. "Why are you here?" he asked. He isn't upset by any means, but he wasn't expecting this.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" she asked, earning a light punch on the shoulder. She still giggled. "Mom told me about what you have been up to lately, and I was a little shocked, to say the least. Although, I wasn't surprised that you would get yourself mixed into something like this, because it isn't the first time. Then when mom found out that you would be coming to Lumiose City, today, I decided to drop everything and to come here as quick as possible." she explained.

This made him frown. He didn't want her putting everything on hold, just because of him. "You didn't have to do that." he responded.

She lightly punched him on the shoulder like he did to her, before wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "No, but I wanted to." she replied with a light smile on her face. "Besides, I wanted to see my little brother again."

"What?!" the mages chorused.

They saw how the two were interacting with each other, but they had no idea that the woman talking to Lowell was his sister. They would've never been able to tell, because they look almost nothing like each other.

"Wait, that is your older sister?" Levy asked, surprised.

Lowell laughed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-yeah. This is my older sister, Bella." he said.

Bella smiled at her brother. "I see you told your friends about me." she commented.

"Not very much." Gray responded. "We would've never been able to tell that you were his sister, if you hadn't said it. You don't look anything like each other."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I haven't heard that one before." she responded sarcastically. "No one ever believes that we are siblings. Still, it is nice to meet all of you. I am just glad that my little brother is finally making some friends." she said, ruffling Lowell's hair a bit. He tried to push her away, but she still has a hold of his shoulders, making it hard for him to break free. At first, he was a little irritated, but then he began to smile and laugh, just like his sister.

"Cut it out." he said, finally able to get her off him. He considered fixing his hair, but it is already pretty messy, so he didn't bother. "After all this time, you still love to tease me." he replied. That was why he was hoping the others wouldn't meet her so quickly. Still, he is happy to see her.

A clap echoed around the room, and everyone turned to see the professor standing up from his seat. "How about we all sit down and talk over some tea?" he suggested. "I'm sure that there is a lot to catch up on." he said, mainly referring to the two siblings.

* * *

Minutes later, Sophie came into the room carrying a tray of tea. Everyone is sitting down at a table, talking about recent events. However, Lowell and Bella are just trying to make up for lost time. They talked over the phone, but they haven't been able to sit down and talk to each other for a while.

As Lowell was talking to Bella, a cup of tea was placed in front of him. He quickly thanked Sophie before taking a sip. It is a little bitter, but there is some sweetness to it. Unlike Greninja, Lowell isn't into very sweet things, but he still does like to have a little sweetness in his tea.

"I am very shocked, to say the least." Bella commented before taking a sip of her own tea. She set the cup back down, before looking up at her brother. "I never would've expected a world of magic to essentially merge with our own. However, seeing as though the Pokemon have been talking, lately, I shouldn't be too surprised."

This made Lowell's eyes widened. "It has been happening in the regions, as well?" he asked, to which Bella nodded her head in confirmation.

"Yes. It has been on the news a lot, recently. People have been so confused, and many have begun to panic. However, many see it as a good thing, since we can now communicate with our Pokemon." she explained with a small smile.

Greninja nodded his head in understanding. "It makes sense. It must be weird why all of this happened out of nowhere, but I agree that it is a good thing. I am just surprised at how quickly the magic spread throughout Earth." he responded.

Lowell sighed. If magic has already spread across the world, then it is only a matter of time before everyone finds out about it. "Hopefully the press conference will happen soon, so that people can finally be at ease, knowing what is actually going on."

His sister couldn't agree more. She took another look at him, and she can't help but feel proud of what he is accomplishing. Not only has he saved Kalos in the past, but now he is helping unite people from two different worlds. To think, this was once her shy, depressed younger brother. Now, he is travelling with people who can use magic, and he is playing such an important role in everything that is going on.

"You have definitely grown up." she said with a solemn smile.

Their mother nodded her head in agreement. "He sure has." she responded. A small smile formed on her lips. "I had a feeling you were getting wrapped up in something ridiculous the moment you left the house, that day. I just never thought it would be this ridiculous."

Lowell chuckled. "You and me both. I don't regret it, though." he said, looking at the group of friends he has made since arriving in Fiore. His gaze landed on Levy, and his smile grew. However, she didn't notice, because she was talking with the professor. "It has only been two weeks, but I don't regret my decision in taking this job. I've met a lot of new people, and I have seen things I never would've seen if I stayed in Kalos. I guess this just means that my journey isn't over, quite yet."

Hearing this made Bella happy. After he ended his journey a year ago, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. That is why he accepted the professor's offer for a job. He was hoping that it would help him figure something out. However, it seems that he has finally figured out his next step, and she couldn't be happier for him. He always supported her and her dream of becoming a performer, so she will continue to support him with whatever he chooses to do.

It took her a while to realize, but then she noticed that he was staring at Levy. Levy is a seat away from Lowell, being separated by Greninja. She looked at the two of them for a moment, before a sly smile formed on her lips. "So, Lowell." she started, catching her brother's attention. She waited until he took a sip of tea to speak. "You've made a lot of friends while in Fiore. Have you gotten yourself a girlfriend yet?"

The sudden question made Lowell's eyes widen in surprise. Instead of spitting his tea out, he swallowed it hard, and it went down the wrong way, causing him to start coughing a bit. Greninja patted his back, to help him stop coughing.

"Are you alright?" Levy asked, concerned, looking past Greninja.

His face red with blush, he looked away for a moment before stuttering. "I-I'm alright." He responded. He turned back to face his older sister, giving her a small glare. "I just wasn't expecting you to ask something like that." he said, getting annoyed.

Bella smirked, taking another sip of her tea. "I was just curious." she responded.

Their mother smiled, and she nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. I would like to know if my son is dating someone, as well." she responded, causing Lowell to blush even more. However, she is directing her gaze towards Levy, making her blush slightly, as well.

"I-I'm not dating anyone." Lowell responded. "I am far too busy to worry about something like that, now."

This didn't wipe the smirk off his sister's face. "Now?" she asked. "So, you are considering asking someone out in the future?"

The mages, except for Levy, are all laughing. They are glad that they aren't in the spotlight he is under, right now. Lucy, on the other hand, is smiling just like Lowell's sister. She and Bella might become quick friends.

Christina looked at the two female mages sitting across from her. "So, is the lucky girl one of them?" she asked, making Levy blush. Lucy blushed a little bit at the implication, but otherwise, she is just fine. She doesn't feel that way about him, but she knows that Levy does.

"No, mam." Lucy responded. "I haven't talked with him, that much, so there is definitely nothing going on between us." she said before looking at Levy. "Levy, on the other hand, has spent quite a lot of time with him since he arrived in Fiore." she said with a mischievous grin.

Levy's blush intensified, and she sent her friend a horrified look. _"Why would you say that?!"_ she thought. She quickly turned back to Bella and Christina, forcing a smile on her face. "I assure you that we are nothing more than friends. I have been spending a lot of time with him, because I was the one who escorted him to the capital of Fiore, and after that, I started teaching him how to use magic." she explained, hoping to change the topic.

Luckily for Levy, as well as Lowell, this managed to catch their interest. They are still a little suspicious of their relationship with each other, but they will leave it alone, for now.

"You are learning how to use magic?" Bella asked him, surprised. "Is that even possible?"

Lowell raised his right hand, and he began to focus his magic power in the center of his palm. For a moment, nothing was happening, but then his palm began to glow silver. Seconds later, the magic energy in his palm began to form a small sphere. He wasn't able to hold it for long, but it was enough to show his progress.

"For now, I am simply trying to focus my magic into one spot, so that I can learn to better control it. Once I improve on that, then I will start learning my preferred type of magic." he explained.

The Kalos natives looked at him in shock. It wasn't very impressive, but they have never seen anyone use magic before. Anyone in their situation would be surprised.

"That is marvelous!" the professor exclaimed. "So, can anyone learn how to use magi- "he was cut off by his phone ringing. He sighed, before leaving the table to answer his phone.

"To answer his question, anyone should be able to learn how to use magic. If they can learn how to absorb it into their bodies, then they can learn to use magic." Levy explained.

Bella shook her head and looked at her brother in disbelief. "You just continue to amaze me, Lowell."

He was about to respond, but he was cut off by Natsu. "If you think that is awesome, watch what I can do!" he exclaimed. Lowell tried to stop him, but Natsu already started to breath fire, which scared Christina so bad that she almost fainted. Natsu sat back down in his chair, raising a fist in the air.

Bella looked at her brother. "D-did he just...breathe fire?" she asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yeah. He is the Fire Dragon Slayer." Lowell responded. He saw the look of surprise on Bella's face, and he laughed. "Yes, as in actual dragons. Apparently, most of them are extinct, but he was taught his magic by an actual dragon." he explained.

"What kind of magic are you going to learn?" his mother asked, hoping that it wouldn't be something as insane as breathing fire.

"Solid Script Magic." he replied without hesitation.

The Kalos natives looked confused, and the mages, aside from Levy, were surprised. "Really?" Lucy asked. "Why did you choose that kind of magic?" she asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "I saw Levy using it when we were fighting against a Gyarados in Hargeon Port. It may not be as powerful as Natsu's dragon slayer magic, but it is definitely versatile, and it could prove useful in many different strategies." he explained.

"What is Solid Script Magic?" Bella asked.

To give an example, Levy used her magic to create a lamp with magical letters. "Basically, it allows the user to create whatever they want, by spelling the word out with magic. If I had made fire, then it would have been able to burn whatever it touched." she explained briefly, before letting the lamp disappear.

"I'm not surprised." Bella responded. "Lowell has always valued strategy over brute strength, so this seems like an appropriate type of magic for him to learn."

"As long as it isn't breathing fire." Christina said, eyeing Natsu wearily.

Lowell laughed. "Don't worry. He isn't going to burn down the lab." he replied.

"Hopefully." Gray responded with a small smirk.

Natsu was about to punch Gray, but the professor returned. He sat down at the table again with a small sigh. "Well, there was a problem at one of her movie shoots. Diantha won't be able to make it here, until tomorrow." he said.

Lowell sighed. That is just going to delay things even further. "Alright. I guess that just means more time to catch up with Bella." he responded with a small smile.

His sister returned the smile. "That sounds nice."

Professor Sycamore looked at the group of mages. "So, do all of you have a place to stay?" he asked. "If not, then I have a couple of spare rooms that you could use."

Lowell shook his head. "It's alright. We can just stay at the Pokemon Center." he responded. "Besides, Levy is starting out as a Pokemon Trainer, so I think it would be good for her to see what they look like."

The professor looked at Ralts, who has somehow managed to fall asleep in Levy's arms. Somehow, he wasn't awakened by all the loudness. The sight made him smile.

"It seems as though not everyone reacted poorly to the Pokemon." he commented. He wasn't expecting someone from Fiore to become a trainer so soon.

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "A lot of people still don't trust them fully, but I am sure that will change when the tournament starts up." she responded.

The professor nodded his head in agreement. He is hoping for that, at least. It will definitely take time, but they can't rush things.

"Well, if you need any advice on raising a Pokemon, or anything related to Pokemon, I don't mind answering your questions." he said with a warm smile on his face.

* * *

For the next couple of hours, they talked, getting to know one another. Fortunately, the little incident brought up by Bella's question went ignored for the rest of the night, so neither Lowell or Levy had to worry about that.

The professor also showed them behind his lab, where all of the Pokemon are. Natsu ended up bonding with a newly hatched Charmander, while the others played with some of the other Pokemon.

They stayed at the lab until it got dark. Lowell might have ended up staying longer, if Natsu hadn't started complaining about being hungry. It was then that they decided to start heading towards the Pokemon Center. On the way out of the lab, he stopped to say bye to his sister.

"I will be staying in the city for another few days, so I will stop by the lab, tomorrow." she told him.

He nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. I may be busier tomorrow, if Diantha arrives, but I will find some time to talk. I miss talking to you, but I know that we are both busy, nowadays." he responded.

Bella smiled and brought him into another hug, which he quickly returned. After a brief moment of silence, Bella whispered something in his ear.

"She seems nice." she whispered, making Lowell blush and break the hug. He was about to say something, but Bella just started laughing and went back inside the lab.

The door closed behind her, and he let out a tired sigh. "Hopefully she doesn't act like this again, tomorrow." he said to himself. Greninja comfortingly patted him on the shoulder.

"Unfortunately, she most likely will. She is your older sister, after all." he responded.

After that, the two of them returned to the group, and he could tell that Levy felt a little awkward walking next to him. He felt like he needed to apologize for what happened.

He turned to face her. "About my sister, she likes to tease me a lot, so I am sorry that you ended up getting involved in that." he said.

A small blush is present on her face, but she shook her head. "No. It's fine. It's what older siblings do, after all." she responded.

 _"_ _Besides, I already know who I am blaming for what happened."_ she thought, looking towards Lucy.

The rest of the night went by rather quickly. Almost immediately after they entered the Pokemon Center, Natsu spotted the food, and he began eating without any hesitation. The others at least ate without making fools of themselves, or without drawing any unwanted attention.

They got two separate rooms. Levy and Lucy stayed in one, while Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Lowell stayed in another, much to Lowell's disappointment. He had a tough time getting to sleep with all of the snoring, but he needed to get some sleep, because tomorrow is going to be a very busy day.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Lowell woke up yet again to the sound of snoring. He expected this much to happen, since Natsu and Gray aren't the quietest sleepers. Although, he feels bad for his Pokemon. They are in their Pokeballs, but they still have to deal with the noise. Not even advanced technology can keep out Natsu's snoring, it appears.

He sat up in his bed, letting out a small yawn as he stretches his arms over his head. After hearing a loud popping sound from his arms and back, he stood out of bed, and he made his way to the bathroom. He doesn't want to delay today's events any further than they already have been.

After taking a quick shower and getting changed, he decided to go down to the main area of the Pokemon Center and see if anyone else is awake.

Lowell walked down the stairs, making his way into the main area. A couple of people are awake, so they either got up early like he did, or they just arrived. Though, it could be a mixture of both, since he sees a small group of people speaking with Nurse Joy near the center of the Pokemon Center.

He took another quick look around, and he noticed that Levy is already up and about. She is sitting at a table close to the entrance, with a plate of pancakes. After staring at her for a couple of seconds, he decided that was enough, and he went to go get his breakfast before joining her at the table. He didn't really spend too much time thinking about what he wanted to eat, because he doesn't really care. He simply grabbed a plate and filled it with scrambled eggs, some bacon, and an apple – a green apple- because green apples are superior to regular apples in every way, at least to him, anyways.

Once he got his breakfast, he walked over to the table Levy is sitting at, and he noticed that she isn't touching her food. She is looking down at the table, appearing to be deep in thought. A concerned frown formed on his lips. Something must be bugging her.

Little does he know, she is thinking about what happened, yesterday. After Bella accused her of being Lowell's girlfriend, she can't help but think about it. Lucy encouraging the older sister didn't help, either. She's lucky that she was able to deflect the question, although, it may not work if it comes up in conversation, again.

Although, the question isn't what is bugging her. What's bugging her is that she isn't sure how she should feel about that question. Was she quick to answer because it was just an embarrassing question, or was she quick to answer because she secretly likes the idea of being Lowell's girlfriend? She knows that she has feelings for him, but she still hardly knows anything about him, and the same can be said vice versa. She told Lucy this, last night.

* * *

 _After arriving in her room with Lucy, the blonde-haired celestial wizard closed the door behind them, a mischievous smile on her face. Levy sat down on one of the beds, sending her friend a small glare._

 _"_ _Why did you have to say that in front of his sister?" she asked, slightly angry._

 _Lucy laughed and sat on the bed across from her. "So, are you admitting that you like him?" she asked jokingly._

 _"_ _No!" Levy yelled, a bit louder than she was planning. She quickly covered her mouth, before falling backwards on her bed with a small groan._

 _"_ _So, I am taking that as a yes." Lucy said triumphantly._

 _Levy sighed and moved her hands away from her mouth, moving one to rest above her head. "Alright. I may have a small crush on him, but it is nothing more than that." she responded._

 _She heard her blonde friend laugh, before getting up and sitting next to her. She placed a reassuring hand on Levy's shoulder._

 _"_ _Come on. I am sure that it is more than that. You've spent the most time with him out of all of us. I am sure that it is more than just a little crush." Lucy insisted._

 _Once again, Levy sighed. "What do you expect me to say, Lu?" she asked, looking up at her friend with one eye. "We hardly know each other. Sure, we spend a lot of time together, but we haven't done anything special. We've either been working, talking about Pokemon, or focusing on his magic training."_

 _Lucy smiled. "I don't think that is entirely true. I remember you telling me about that picnic that you had set up to lure in the thieves. You said that he let you wear his coat, because it was cold out." she told her friend, making Levy ever regret telling her about that. "Are you sure that nothing else happened?" she asked jokingly._

 _The blush on Levy's face was enough of an answer for her, and she started laughing. "I knew it. Tell me. What exactly did the two of you end up doing?"_

 _"_ _I-it wasn't anything like that, Lucy. We were just sitting on a picnic blanket, watching the sunset. I wasn't thinking and I…I might have leaned my head against his shoulder." she said, embarrassedly._

 _"_ _Aww~" Lucy cooed. "That sounds adorable. So, are you still sure that it is only a small crush?"_

 _Levy sighed, turning on her side to avoid looking at Lucy. "Can we stop talking about this?" she asked._

 _"_ _Why?" Lucy asked. "If you really like him, then you need to act now. I'm sure that a lot of people would be interested in dating him." she said. If she is being honest with herself, she wouldn't mind dating him, but she wouldn't do that to Levy._

 _Suddenly, Levy became slightly angry at the thought of someone else dating Lowell. After she realized what she was doing, she covered her face with her hands. "I can't believe it." she mumbled to herself._

 _Lucy let out a small laugh and gently rubbed her back reassuringly. "It's alright. I know that you haven't known each other for very long, but there is such a thing as love at first sight. Realistically, it isn't very common, but I have a good feeling that this is what the case is for you." she said, playing with a strand of Levy's hair. "I know that I have been bugging you about this, but that is because I want you to be happy. You're my friend, and I care about you. You don't have to, if you don't want to, but I think that it would be a good idea to tell him. If my eyes aren't tricking me, then it is clear that he likes you, too."_

 _Levy was silent for a moment, and Lucy was worried that something was wrong, but she eventually heard Levy sigh. "Alright. I'll…I'll think about it. No guarantees, though." Levy responded, sitting up._

 _This made Lucy smile. At least Levy understands what she is trying to tell her. "We should probably get some rest. Who knows? Tomorrow, we might be seeing a new couple in Fairy Tail." she teased, making Levy blush even more._

 _"_ _I wouldn't go as far as to say that." Levy responded._

* * *

Levy sighed. "You make it sound so easy, Lucy." Levy muttered to herself.

Levy was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Lowell sit down across from her. She continued to let her thoughts block everything out, until she heard someone clear their throat. Levy looked up, and a small blush rushed to her cheeks after seeing that it was Lowell.

"O-oh. Lowell, h-how long have you been sitting there?" she asked.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Like a minute ago." he responded, eying her worriedly. "Are you alright?" he asked. "It looks like you've got something on your mind."

On the inside, Levy began to panic. She can't let him know what she was actually thinking. He would probably think she was weird, if she did.

"Um…I was just thinking about what happened yesterday." she said, stating the partial truth.

Lowell sighed and rubbed his temples tiredly. "I understand. Bella can be irritating, sometimes. Still, she is a wonderful person, and a wonderful older sister. However, she never passes up an opportunity to tease or embarrass me, even if she gets other people involved." he explained.

Levy shook her head and gave him a soft smile. "Don't worry about it. I don't have any siblings, but after growing up around Natsu and the others, I understand what you mean." she said, playing with the pancakes on her plate. "Besides, I don't really blame your sister. She was just curious, and what Lucy said put ideas in her head."

"Well, I'm not too surprised. After all, Lucy and Mira are both convinced that we are going to get together. Still, it has only been a couple of weeks. We hardly know anything about each other." he said, vocalizing Levy's thoughts. "I see you as a good friend, but nothing more than that." he lied, trying to keep a blush from forming on his cheeks. Of course, that isn't the truth. However, he isn't going to outright say how he really feels about her. No one has ever truly liked him like that. People were always attracted to him for his appearance or his skills as a trainer, not his personality, which is another reason why he stays away from people. He doubts that Levy is as shallow as that, but he can't understand why she would like him, as more than a friend. It isn't like he is anything special.

On the inside, Levy is both relieved, yet a little disappointed at the same time. She is relieved that she finally knows what he sees her as, but in a way, she kind of wishes that he saw her as more than a friend. Still, if that is how he feels, she won't push anything. Although, she still remembers her conversation with Lucy last night. It looks like Lucy is going to be a little disappointed.

However, she didn't want to give him the idea that she was upset, so she faked a small smile. "Yes, I agree." she responded.

In that moment, he felt the same way that Levy just did. He is glad that they are on the same page, or so he thinks, but he is also a little disappointed that she agreed with him. _"Oh well."_ he thought sadly. Even if he is a little sad, he knows that he can't let himself be distracted by this.

They both heard footsteps, and when they turned their heads, they saw that Lucy was heading towards them. "Hey, guys. I didn't realize that you were up already." she said, sending a hopeful glance at Levy. However, she saw Levy give her a slight shake of her head, and this almost made her frown. She will ask her about it, when Lowell isn't around.

She sat down next to Levy, and she looked at Lowell. "So, what were you two talking about?" she asked.

Lowell sighed. "We were talking about what happened yesterday." he responded. "Why did you tell my sister that?" Lowell asked. "She and mom are worse than you and Mira are when it comes to teasing me. Although, I don't mind the teasing, I would rather you not get Levy involved in Bella's teasing."

"Sorry." Lucy responded, not being sorry at all. "It isn't my fault that you make yourselves look like a couple, spending so much time with each other."

Lowell sent a small glare at Lucy. "Well, like Levy and I were just discussing, we are good friends, and that is all. Sure, we have been around each other a lot, but that doesn't make us a couple. After all, you spend a lot of time with Natsu, yet neither of you are dating each other." he explained.

Lucy frowned, knowing why Levy was shaking her head. Although, is also slightly blushing, after hearing him use her and Natsu's partnership as an example.

"Let's just get off this subject." Levy suggested, hoping to brighten up the mood a bit. Suddenly, Greninja appeared next to Lowell, startling Lucy a bit. However, Lowell just started eating his breakfast, not at all surprised at his partner's sudden appearance.

"I agree. Besides, it is only a matter of time before those three idiots finally wake up." he said, rubbing his eyes slightly. Lowell noticed this, and he stifled a chuckle.

"If only Pokeballs could keep out the snoring." he commented.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement, before lazily turning it to face his friend. "Speaking of which, we need to talk, later." the ninja Pokemon said, making Lowell raise a brow.

 _"_ _What is there to talk about?"_ Lowell thought. However, he then realized that Greninja had heard his entire conversation with Levy. He mentally sighed, realizing that he is going to get a boring lecture from his friend.

Seeing that his friend finally caught on, Greninja just turned away and looked down at the table. He could've brought it up now, but he'll save Lowell the embarrassment and do it when they are alone.

Minutes passed, and Lowell and Levy both finished their respective breakfasts. By that point, Natsu and Gray had finally woken up, and they could be seen fighting the entire way down the stairs, with Happy chasing after them. Suddenly, Gardevoir appeared, deciding that she would stop them before they caused any damage inside the Pokemon Center.

After watching Gardevoir break up the fight, Lowell stood up, with Greninja copying him. "I think that I am going to start heading to the lab. Diantha could be arriving at any time, and I would rather not keep her waiting." he explained. He then looked to Gardevoir. "I am trusting that you can keep them from causing too much damage, while I am gone." he said, to which Gardevoir nodded her head in response.

"Of course. I can't let these two make a mess in here. Though they may be holding back, that doesn't mean that their destructive attitudes aren't dangerous." she responded, to which Lowell couldn't agree with more. So far, Natsu and Gray have kept to the 'no magic' rule, aside from Natsu's antics at the lab, yesterday. Still, even without magic, their quarrels would only ruin the Pokemon Center, and he doesn't want to cause trouble for Nurse Joy.

"We could be a while, with the meeting, so you can head to the lab whenever, or you can explore the city, if you want to. Though I recommend you wait until we are done with the meeting to do that so I can guide you, Gardevoir also knows her way around the city" Lowell explained.

The others nodded their heads in understanding. Since they won't be in the city for longer than a day or so, they might want to explore, so that they can see how different Lumiose is than cities in Fiore.

Lowell and Greninja said a quick goodbye to the others before leaving the Pokemon Center. Although, almost as soon as they stepped into the streets, Greninja popped the question.

"Why did you tell Levy that?" Greninja asked.

Lowell sighed. "Do you think that I was going to say how I really felt?" Lowell asked. "It would sound ridiculous. Telling someone that you met, barely even two weeks ago, that you like them as more than just a friend? She would think I am crazy." he responded.

"You are." Greninja said with a shrug of his shoulders. He heard Lowell scoff beside him. "Think about it. All those awkward moments between the two of you. It isn't just awkward for you. It is awkward for her, as well. Can't you see how much she blushes around you, and vice versa? She is probably thinking the same thing as you, right now." Greninja explained.

As they walked, Lowell thought about this. Could Greninja be right? He has seen how she blushes around him, but he just assumed that it was the general awkwardness of certain moments. He doesn't get why Levy would like him, as more than a friend. "I'm nothing special." Lowell muttered, low enough to where only Greninja could hear.

Greninja sighed and looked at his best friend. He can see a slight hint of sadness in his eyes.

Feeling bad for Lowell, he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You think that, but you have accomplished so many things that most people could never dream of doing. You prevented a psychopathic millionaire from destroying most of humanity and Pokemon, you tied against the champion of the Kalos Region, and now you are helping bring two different worlds together. Most people would've given up a long time ago, but you haven't."

Greninja was hoping for some sort of response, yet all he received was silence. After moments of silence passed, Greninja gave up. He wasn't going to force Lowell to talk.

They continued to walk, and after about a minute passed, Lowell finally mumbled something under his breath. "I would just mess it up." he whispered, causing Greninja's head to snap towards his partner.

"What do you mean?" Greninja asked, confused.

Lowell looked into the crowd of people, getting lost in thought. However, after a moment, he spoke again. "After dad died, I changed." he said sadly, gaining Greninja's full attention. "I was once full of joy and it was almost impossible for me to take anything seriously. I was much more outgoing and sociable than I am now. I had friends, but then, when I found out the ship dad was on had sunk into the ocean, something inside me changed. I couldn't bring myself to even leave my room, for nearly two weeks. I only ever left to use the bathroom, or to eat."

Greninja nodded his head in understanding. He has already been told this story, but he knows that it is something that has always bugged Lowell, no matter how much time has passed. His father was the man who made him want to become a trainer and that inspired him to one day go on his own journey. Deep down, Lowell was hoping to battle his dad, once he became strong enough. He wanted to prove himself to his dad, but then he died, and Lowell never got that chance. That has always bothered him, and he was left without a real goal, when he started his journey. It soon became to defeat and become the champion, but that wasn't what he really wanted. He simply wanted a chance to prove to his father that he could become a great trainer, like he was.

"Whatever friends I once had, they stopped wanting to hang around me, because I was always depressed. After that, I gave up on making friends, and I just tried to keep to myself." Lowell continued, slightly clenching his fists together. "Thankfully, Bella was able to convince me that I needed to move on, otherwise, I may have given up completely on being a trainer. Actually, I feel like I changed for the better, once I started travelling. I got to see more of the world than just Vaniville Town, and I got to experience things that I would have never seen, if I had just stayed cooped up in my room."

"I know, but what does this have to do with not admitting your feelings to Levy?" Greninja asked, still not quite understanding his friend's reasoning.

Lowell sighed. "I don't know how to deal with people. I avoided them for a long time. Sure, I have a couple of friends, but I don't know the first thing about dating. I am thankful for the friendships that I have been able to forge so far, in Fiore, and I don't want to ruin them. I am…afraid, that if I do tell Levy how I really feel, then I will just end up messing up, and I will lose that friendship altogether." he admitted.

Greninja's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He wasn't expecting Lowell to say something like that. Although, he shouldn't be surprised. Lowell has never been the best at opening up to others. It took him a long time to just tell him and his other Pokemon about his dad. He doesn't blame Lowell for feeling nervous about all this. In just the past two weeks, he has gotten closer to Levy, and they have become close friends. He doesn't want to lose something as precious as that.

In an attempt to comfort him, Greninja wrapped an arm around Lowell's shoulder. "Don't worry so much, about that. You know as well as I do, that you can't gain anything, unless you take risks." Greninja said, which Lowell can't argue with. He won't know what will happen, unless he takes a chance and tells Levy how he feels. However, that is easier said than done. "How about you just forget about this, for now. We can deal with all of this later, but right now, we need to focus on negotiations. We can't let any of this get in the way of our job."

Lowell looked at Greninja, and he gave him a small, but thankful smile. "Alright. You are right. I can't afford to be distracted, right now. I will worry about my feelings, later. For now, I will concentrate on doing what I need to do to help get this tournament going, as well as to help the Pokemon back in Fiore." he said, slowly regaining his confidence.

Greninja smiled upon seeing this. Even when discouraged, Lowell never stays down, for too long. He always manages to pick himself back up, even if he needs a small push in order to do so. There is nothing wrong with that, though. Everyone needs help at some point, and he doesn't mind being the one to help Lowell. He has been there when Greninja needed him, so he will do the same for him.

* * *

After Lowell an Greninja left for Professor Sycamore's lab, Natsu, Gray, and Happy went to eat breakfast, earning several odd stares from trainers who were watching Happy with confusion. In the recent weeks, they know something is going on, especially after they heard their Pokemon begin to talk. They have gotten used to it, though they still find it to be rather weird. However, seeing a flying, talking cat that doesn't look like any Pokemon they have ever seen before really makes them question what the hell is going on.

Gardevoir stuck with Natsu and Gray, keeping an eye on them like Lowell said. They keep coming close to fighting, but they stop when they see Gardevoir's eyes start to glow. Not wanting to be taught another lesson by her Psychic, they forced themselves to calm down, and to not fight each other, despite how hard it was.

Levy and Lucy are still sitting at the same table they were at when Lowell and Greninja left. Levy just finished explaining what had happened, to which Lucy responded by saying…

"He's probably just embarrassed." Lucy stated, trying to put her friend at ease.

"Embarrassed?" Levy asked.

Lucy nodded her head. "Yeah. A lot of guys are often to embarrassed to admit that they have feelings for a girl, and they end up saying something to try and hide their feelings." Lucy explained.

"Why would someone do that?" Levy asked, not understanding the point. If anything, it would just cause more confusion.

Lucy just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I've never dated anyone before, so I don't really understand it, myself. Still, considering how Lowell isn't the most social person, I wouldn't be surprised if that is why he said that. He probably doesn't have much experience with relationships, if any, so I'm sure that he is probably just nervous."

That would make sense, but does he really like her, like that? Lucy said that he does, and even Greninja hinted that she was special to Lowell. Though, it just doesn't make sense to her. From what he has told her, he has done a lot to help other people, back in Kalos. Yet, she hasn't done anything too special. Why would he be interested in someone like her?

"Compared to him, I am nothing special." she said to Lucy. "What about me would make him this embarrassed and nervous?" she asked, still kind of doubting her friend's reasoning.

Lucy sighed and took Levy's hands into her own. "You need to stop doubting yourself, so much. You might not be the strongest mage, but you are still very smart, kind, and beautiful. I would be surprised if someone like you didn't have people lining up to go out with you." she said with a reassuring smile. "Besides, you mentioned what happened during your job with him. You risked your life, protecting those Pokemon. I've never seen you act that bravely, before. You might have your doubts, but I think that you have changed for the better since meeting Lowell, even if it is just a little bit."

Levy's eyes began to mist up a bit, but she wiped them before the tears could start forming. She wasn't expecting Lucy to say any of that. Although, she will admit that what Lucy said makes her feel a little better. Maybe she is right. Maybe she was just overreacting, a bit.

She looked up and Lucy and gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Lu." she said. "So, what do I suggest you do?" she asked.

Lucy let go of Levy's hands and sat back in her seat. "Well, I suggest that you still do what I said last night. You should tell him how you feel. Although, just in case, you should probably wait until after we return to Fiore. He will be busy worrying about the negotiations while we are still in Kalos. I am sure that he already has a lot on his mind."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. If he is embarrassed like Lucy thinks he is, then it may just distract him and make him lose focus, and she doesn't want to do that. Once they get back to Fiore, she'll try to tell him how she feels. It won't be easy, but somehow, she will find the courage to do it. Hopefully.

Suddenly, Lucy snapped her fingers. "Hey, I have an idea to help you forget about it, for now." Lucy said, catching Levy's attention.

This caught Levy's interest. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Lowell said that we could explore the city while he is speaking with Diantha. Gardevoir can show us around, so I think that is a good idea." Lucy explained. "After all, when do you think we would get to come back here?" Lucy asked. For all they know, it could be months before they get a chance to come back here. They need to take advantage of their time here, while they still can.

Seeing no argument with her idea, Levy nodded her head in agreement. It sounds like fun, and it would be interesting to see more of the city. "Alright. Although, then we will have to deal with Natsu and Gray possibly destroying something."

Lucy rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly and pointed to where their friends are. "I wouldn't worry too much about that." she responded.

Levy looked at where Lucy was pointing, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw Natsu and Gray both unconscious, due to her Psychic. This made her let out a small giggle. "Alright, then. I guess that we are going exploring!"

* * *

After Lowell and Greninja arrived at the professor's lab, Sophie went to the door to let them in. She knew that they would be arriving early, so she already had a feeling she knew who was at the door when they knocked.

"Diantha arrived about an hour ago. She is waiting upstairs in the professor's office." she said, closing the door behind them.

"Where is the professor, then?" Lowell asked curiously.

"He is currently out in the back, feeding the Pokemon." she responded. "Where are your friends?" she asked.

"They are still at the Pokemon Center. They may come here, soon, or they may go explore the city. Gardevoir is with them, so they won't get lost, either way." Greninja explained, to which Sophie nodded her head in understanding.

Lowell and Greninja went to climb the stairs, but he noticed someone standing in the doorway off to the side. He turned his head, and he saw Bella. She sent him a small smile.

"For once, you are actually awake early." she teased, resulting in a small scowl from Lowell.

"Well, considering that there is important work to be done, I can't afford to sleep in like I would honestly like to do." he said, thinking about how he could still be asleep, right now. He hasn't been napping as much as he normally would, which saddens him, but he can do that, once preparations have been finished.

Bella laughed. "You're right. I guess it wouldn't be right for you to be sleeping on the job." she responded, looking intently at him. After another moment passed, she let out a small sigh. "You've really changed, haven't you?" she asked.

Lowell raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? How have I changed?" he asked. As far as he knows, he is still as serious as ever. What is so different?

"Well, for one, you finally have a clear goal in mind, unlike in the past. You are set on getting this tournament to happen. Never in a million years would I have thought you would be doing something as important as this." she explained.

"And you didn't think this when I stopped Lysandre from destroying most of humanity and the Pokemon?" he asked sarcastically.

She sighed and shook her head. "It's just that…you have really grown, and you have even made friends, which is something else I was a little surprised to find out. I'm proud that you are finally letting yourself move forward."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. He can't blame her. After all, he wasn't expecting to make friends in Fiore, either. It just sort of happened.

Although, her mentioning his friends reminded him of something.

"There was no need for the teasing that you did, last night." he said, sending her a slight glare.

Bella smiled playfully at him. "I'm your sister. There is always a need for teasing, when it comes to your love life." she said, which made Lowell groan slightly. "Don't even bother lying. I saw how you were looking at Levy, last night. It is obvious that you like her. Yet, you haven't told her this, yet. Or, maybe you are both keeping this a secret from everyone, and you are actually dating?" she said mischievously.

Lowell sighed. He isn't in the mood to deal with this, so he may as well clear it up with her, quickly. Like she said, lying to her won't change the fact that she knows, so there is no point in trying to keep it a secret, from her.

"Alright, fine. I may have a _small_ crush on her, but I haven't told her, yet." he responded, making his older sister squeal with joy. He sighed again. "This is why I didn't want you to find out. Please, don't tell anyone about this, especially not Levy. I am not ready to tell her, just yet."

Bella walked over to her younger brother and wrapped an arm around his shoulder and hugged him. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me…for now. Although, if you keep her waiting for too long, I can't guarantee that I can keep my mouth shut for that long." she responded with a wink, before letting her brother go.

He sent a small glare at her, but she was already out of the room. Lowell sighed, and Greninja placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Let's just go to Diantha. We shouldn't keep her waiting." he said. Lowell nodded his head in agreement, and they both climbed up the stairs leading to the professor's office.

When they arrived at the office, they saw that Diantha was sitting on the other side of the professor's desk, and two chairs have been set up in front of it. She is looking out the window behind her, sipping from a cup of tea. She heard the footsteps from behind, and she smiled.

"I had a feeling you would be arriving soon." she said, turning around to face the young trainer and his Pokemon.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders as he sat in a chair across from her, with Greninja sitting in the one beside him. "I didn't want to keep you waiting, of course." he responded.

Diantha nodded her head in understanding before setting her cup of tea down and placing one hand over the other on top the desk. She looked Lowell directly in the eyes. "So, how about we get started with the planning?" she suggested.

* * *

After about two hours of speaking to Diantha, he learned that she has already spoken to the Pokemon League Committee, who is in charge of setting up the Pokemon Leagues in the different regions. After learning of Fiore and what has happened, they agreed to help set up the tournament, as long as the people of Fiore pitch in, as well, which shouldn't be a problem. They've already agreed that the Domus Flau would be the best place to hold the tournament, and that if everyone pitches in, that it should only take a couple months to get everything ready. The fact that the arena has already been built makes things a lot easier, and it saves them a lot of time. Although, if the tournament is going to happen, then there needs to be a way for the people of Fiore to have access to Pokemon related items.

Diantha also spoke to several freighters. They have agreed to bring shipments of healing items and other things that might be needed, which will be provided by manufacturers, not only in Kalos, but from the other regions, as well. Of course, they are planning on having factories built in Fiore and Ishgar as a whole, eventually, so that they don't have to rely on the shipments, but that won't be happening for a while. For now, this will have to do.

"Although, it will take some more time before the public will be able to travel to and from Ishgar and the regions. It will take much longer to come up with an arrangement that fits everyone's needs." she explained, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement.

"That is something else that will be necessary, when talking about long-term. Although, that is also something that will take time to set up." Lowell responded.

"I agree." Diantha responded. "Now, you've said that you will take care of the berries and the Pokeballs?" she asked.

Lowell nodded his head in confirmation. "I know some berry farmers throughout Kalos that might be willing to help. Although, I will try to have berry farms set up in Ishgar, as well as berry trees planted in the wild, so that the wild Pokemon will have better access to them. As for the Pokeballs, I am friends with the president of the Pokeball Factory here in Kalos, so we should be able to come up with some sort of a deal." he explained.

"Will you be taking care of that, in the next couple of days?" she asked, to which Lowell nodded his head.

"I think that we will leave tomorrow morning, and we will head for the berry farms, first. After that, then we will handle the Pokeballs." Lowell explained.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Hopefully, we should be able to get it all done within another week, but there is no guarantee. We aren't sure how long it will actually take." he replied, to which Diantha nodded her head in understanding.

"That's fine. Although, the sooner that we get all of this done, the bet- "she was distracted by a commotion going on downstairs. It sounded like someone was yelling, and it didn't sound good. Lowell, Greninja, and Diantha all stood up at the same time, worried about what was going on.

"We are pretty much done discussing everything, so we should probably go see what is going on." Lowell recommended, which Diantha agreed with. The three of them left the office, and they climbed down the stairs as fast as possible.

Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw the professor sprinting inside. He noticed the three of them, and he was curious. "What happened?" he asked.

They shrugged their shoulders as a response. "We aren't sure. Let's hurry, to see what happened." Diantha responded.

The four of them returned to the main room of the house, and they saw that Levy and the others have arrived. Although, Lowell noticed that Levy was holding something in her arms. When he got closer, his eyes widened in shock, realizing that it was Ralts. However, he is covered in bruises, and he is breathing heavily.

This immediately concerned him and the others. "What happened?" Lowell asked, catching the others' attention. Levy turned to face him, and he noticed that tears are running down her face.

Lucy stepped up to explain what had happened. "I suggested that we explore the city while you were speaking with Diantha. The others agreed, and Gardevoir showed us around the city. Although, a trainer noticed that Gardevoir was a Shiny Pokemon, and he walked up to us. He wanted to battle you, but we said that you were busy. He and Levy ended up battling, and Ralts got hurt pretty badly." she explained.

Lowell looked at Levy in shock. "You battled someone?" he asked, surprised. He wasn't expecting her to get in a battle with a random trainer, so soon. He was hoping to show her how Pokemon battles worked, before that happened.

Levy nodded her head, but her attention was solely on Ralts. Lowell saw the look in her eyes, and he realized that she must feel guilty for what happened. He felt similar, when Greninja had gotten hurt in a battle, when he was still a Froakie. He was a new trainer at the time, and he wasn't as knowledgeable as he is now. He had thought that he let Froakie down, and he just felt awful, for a while, so he knows how she must be feeling.

"We can worry about the details, later." Professor Sycamore said, causing everyone to look at him. "For now, we need to make sure that Ralts is taken care of." he responded, to which everyone agreed. He and Sophie led the others to the back of the lab, where a lot of his equipment is. Levy was hesitant to let Ralts go, but she knew that she needed to, if he was to be treated.

Sophie placed Ralts on a table, and a clear glass casing covered him. She went over to a panel and she began to press buttons. Suddenly, large tubes connected to the glass casing, and they sprayed an orange power-like substance. Lowell isn't too keen on the technology, but he has seen Sophie do this enough times to know that it is some sort of medicine.

Levy watched from the glass outside the room, with a worried expression on her face. Suddenly, a hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked back, to see the professor standing behind her. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Sophie is the best as what she does. Ralts will be better, in no time." he said.

This put her at ease, if only a little, but she still feels bad for what happened to him. She wasn't able to prevent this from happening. It was her first battle, but she also showed that she isn't ready to be a trainer. She let down Ralts, who had put his faith in her.

"Levy." Lowell said, causing her to turn and face him. "What exactly happened?" he asked.

Levy looked back at Ralts, as she remembered what happened about an hour ago. "We had been walking around the city for about an hour, until the trainer approached us."

* * *

 _After leaving the Pokemon Center, Gardevoir showed them around the city, guiding them to different cafes and popular shops. Along the way, they spotted many clothing shops that Lucy wanted to visit, but Natsu and Gray would always complain about doing girly stuff. Of course, this ended up in them getting smacked in the back of the head by Lucy._

 _They eventually made it to the center of the city, where they got to see the Prism Tower close up. They were amazed by how tall it was, as well as the technology implemented in the tower._

 _"_ _This is Prism Tower, the heart of Lumiose City." Gardevoir said as they stood beneath the massive tower._

 _"_ _Is it true that the tower is also home to one of the gyms?" Levy asked. Lowell had told her a little about the different gyms in Kalos, but she wasn't sure what it would look like, since he said that all of them are designed differently._

 _Gardevoir nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes. The gym is located on this inside. It was quite the challenge for Lowell, since the gym leader specializes in electric-type Pokemon, and Lowell had two flying-types, at the time, as well as a water-type. However, he has never cared too much about type-advantage." she explained, remembering the fight quite well. It was one of the times that she got to prove her strength._

 _Natsu pumped his fist in the air in excitement. "Hearing about gym battles really makes me want to take on the guy, myself!" he said, referring to the gym leader._

 _"_ _You don't even have a Pokemon, flame brain." Gray responded._

 _Lucy giggled. "I'm not sure how long that will last, Gray. After all, he seems to get along pretty well with the Charmander back in the professor's lab." she replied, remembering how excited the dragon slayer got when he first saw Charmander._

 _Levy nodded her head in agreement. "It was a match made in heaven. As soon as Natsu showed Charmander that he could breathe fire, it was an instant friendship."_

 _Natsu smirked at Gray. "Are you jealous that I am most likely gonna get a Pokemon before you, icicle?" he asked, laughing._

 _Gray responded by decking Natsu in the face. Natsu was about to retaliate, but was quickly stopped by Gardevoir. She let out a tired sigh. This is the fifteenth time this morning she has had to break those two apart before they started using magic in public._

 _"_ _They are more irritating than Charizard and Dragonite." she thought._

 _Off to the side, a trainer with short, black hair and red eyes was watching the two of them bicker with each other. He is wearing a red jacket with dark red cuffs near his wrists, a white shirt with a buttoned collar, a pair of dark-red pants held up by a red belt with a Pokeball-shaped buckle, and a pair of white shoes with red soles. After watching the two mages get stopped by a shiny Gardevoir, he began to walk towards the small group._

 _Levy giggled as she watched Natsu and Gray fall to the ground, again. "Those two never learn. Although, I kind of feel bad for them. Now, if Erza isn't stopping their fights, it is Gardevoir, and neither show any restraint." she said to Lucy._

 _"_ _Excuse me." a voice called out to them from behind. The group of mages and Gardevoir all turned around to see the black-haired trainer walking towards them. "I don't mean to bother you, but does that Gardevoir belong to any of you?" he asked._

 _Levy didn't like the way he worded that, and he could see that in the expression on her face. He quickly held up a hand in defense. "I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to ask if any of you were this Gardevoir's trainer. I have never seen a shiny Pokemon before, and I was hoping to have a battle." he explained._

 _Hearing that made Levy's expression soften a little. "Oh. Well, no, none of us are her trainer. He is currently at Professor Sycamore's lab." she explained._

 _This made him frown a bit, but he just shrugged it off. "Oh well. Maybe another time, then. I don't have much time before I need to get going, so I was just hoping for a quick battle." he explained. He then put a hand to his chin in thought. "Although, are any of you trainers?" he asked._

 _"_ _I am." Levy responded a little shyly. "Although, I only have one, and we haven't battled anyone, yet."_

 _This made the black-haired trainer smile. "That's perfect. I am a rather new trainer, as well, so this could help both of us gain some much needed experience." he said, pulling out a Pokeball. "So, what do you say?" he asked._

 _Levy thought about it more a moment. He does have a point. It could benefit both of them, since they are both new trainers. Although, he has most likely already battled, before. This put her at a major disadvantage, and she didn't want Ralts to get hurt. Still, the decision wasn't entirely up to her._

 _She took out Ralts' Pokeball, and she tossed it, allowing Ralts to appear in front of her. He already heard what was going on from inside his Pokeball, and he looked up at her with excitement on his face. "Are we finally gonna battle, together?" he asked excitedly, shocking the red-haired trainer._

 _"_ _Your Ralts can talk, too?" he asked. "Suddenly, my Pokemon started talking, as well. Do you know what is causing this?"_

 _The mages looked at each other, not sure what to say. He and the others from Earth will be learning about magic soon enough, but it would be better for them to find out when the time comes, so that there isn't any unnecessary panic._

 _"_ _No, sorry. We are just as clueless as you are." Levy lied._

 _The trainer smiled. "It's fine. Honestly, I don't mind being able to talk to my Pokemon. It is nice, because I can finally understand them, better."_

 _Levy nodded her head in understanding. She then averted her attention to Ralts. She kneeled, so that they were both at a similar height level. "You really want to do this, Ralts?" she asked._

 _He nodded his head excitedly. "I have been waiting for a time to prove myself!" he announced. "I may not be strong, yet, but I will get stronger, so that I can protect you, like you protected me and my friends. I promise!"_

 _Hearing him so confident made her happy. Although, she was worried that he would get hurt, if he wanted to do this, then she wasn't going to argue with him. Besides, Lowell once told her that trainers don't back down from a challenge. The battle starts the moment that two trainers look each other in the eyes. If she wants to become a trainer, then she can't back down from a challenge._

 _She looked up at the trainer, with a newfound confidence in her eyes. "Alright. We accept." she said, causing the mages behind her to look at her in shock._

 _"_ _Are you sure, Levy?" Lucy asked. "I know you have seen Lowell command his Pokemon, before, but you have never done it, yourself. Are you sure that you know what to do?"_

 _Gray nodded his head in agreement. "I mean, if you want to do it, then go right ahead. I won't stop you, but just be sure to give it your all." he said with a small smile on his face._

 _Natsu had a wide grin on his face. "Show him not to mess with members of Fairy Tail!" Natsu exclaimed, causing Gray to hit him on the back of the head._

 _"_ _Idiot!" Gray yelled at him._

 _The trainer looked at them with a raised brow. "Is…everything alright?" he asked. He wasn't even going to ask what Natsu was talking about. What did fairy tales have to do anything?_

 _Levy nodded. "Don't worry about them. They are always causing trouble, like that. Just ignore them." she responded, to which he nodded his head in understanding. She then realized that they haven't introduced themselves, yet. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'm Levy, and these are my friends, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Happy." She said, including the small, flying cat._

 _"_ _My name is Patrick." the black-haired trainer greeted. "I know a place where there is a battlefield, so follow me." he said before walking back into the streets of Lumiose City, closely followed by the mages._

 _It took them a couple minutes to reach the battlefield, but when they did, Levy and Patrick stood opposite of each other. Gardevoir is standing on the side, acting as the referee. Ralts is standing in front of Levy, but Patrick hasn't called out his Pokemon, yet._

 _Patrick held up his Pokeball, looking straight forward. "I'm counting on you, buddy." he said, reeling his arm back, before throwing the Pokeball. "I choose you, Chespin!"_

 _A short, bipedal Pokemon appeared in front of Patrick. It has a light-brown body and head, dark-brown arms, and a green shell on his back. It has four, leaf-like spikes sticking out the top of its head. Chespin realized that he was about to battle, and he began to hop up and down in excitement. "Finally! It has been a couple days since you last let me battle!" he exclaimed._

 _Patrick sighed. "I'm sorry, buddy. We haven't run into many trainers, lately. Although, we might be able to win, considering that our opponents have little experience, like us." he said. Thinking back on it, he knows that he would've lost if Lowell had been there to accept his challenge, but it still would've been cool to battle her._

 _Levy looked at the Pokemon in front of her with a raised brow. "What kind of Pokemon is that?" she asked, never having seen one before._

 _Gardevoir decided to answer her question. "Chespin is a grass-type Pokemon, and it is one of the three starter Pokemon in the Kalos Region. Patrick must have recently received him from Professor Sycamore." she explained._

 _Patrick nodded his head in confirmation. "Yep. I started my journey a couple of weeks ago, and I even earned my first badge. Although, I came back to Lumiose City, because I needed to get through here to get to the next gym town." he explained._

 _Levy looked at him in shock. He already has a badge?! How can she possibly win against someone who has already won a badge? She has nowhere near as much experience as that. Still, she needs to remain calm, otherwise she will lose focus, and there is no doubt in her mind that she would lose if that happened. She just has to have faith in herself, and in Ralts._

 _Gardevoir took a step forward, raising her arm. "The battle between Patrick and Levy is about to begin. Each side will use only one Pokemon, and the battle will be declared over when either side is unable to battle." she explained the rules. "Are both sides ready?" she asked._

 _Patrick nodded his head, and Levy did as well, despite her nervousness. "Begin!" Gardevoir announced, swinging her arm downwards._

 _Patrick swung his fist forwards. "We'll get this battle started! Chespin, use_ _ **Pin Missile!**_ _"_

 _"_ _You got it!" Chespin responded. The leaf-like spikes on Chespin's back began to glow green, and they shot towards Ralts as winding projectiles. They moved at a fast speed, giving Levy hardly any time to think. However, she has seen one of Ralts' moves enough to come up with a counter._

 _"_ _Ralts, use_ _ **Confusion**_ _to send the Pin Missile back!" she ordered._

 _"_ _Right." Ralts replied, his eyes glowing blue. Soon enough, the Pin Missile was surrounded by the same blue light, halting right before they hit Ralts._

 _"_ _Now, send them back at Chespin!" she ordered, swinging her arm forwards._

 _Ralts adjusted the course of the Pin Missile attack, and he sent them flying back towards Chespin. However, this didn't seem to concern Patrick._

 _"_ _Dodge them, and then use_ _ **Vine Whip**_ _." Patrick commanded._

 _As the Pin Missiles came raining down upon Chespin, he jumped out of the way, however, one of his arms and his shoulder was grazed in the process. He still managed to avoid a majority of the damage, and two vines grew from his back and went racing towards Ralts._

 _Deciding against running away, Levy chose to play more defensively. "Use_ _ **Double Team**_ _!" she ordered._

 _Just as the vines were about to hit Ralts, several duplicates of Ralts began to surround Chespin, and he ended up hitting one of the clones. The mages were shocked. They weren't expecting Ralts to be able to make clones of himself._

 _"_ _Alright! Show that walking plant who's boss!" Natsu cheered._

 _"_ _Not bad." Gray responded with a small smile, and his arms crossed._

 _"_ _She's doing better than I thought she would. Maybe she learned something from watching Lowell fight against Natsu, after all." Lucy commented._

 _Chespin looked around, trying to find the real Ralts. However, he couldn't tell the difference between the fakes and the real ones._

 _Seeing his partner in panic, Patrick tried to calm him down. "Focus, Chespin. Focus, and concentrate on spotting the real one." he said._

 _"_ _Alright. I'll try." Chespin responded, closing his eyes. He tried listening for any sort of movement, waiting for Ralts to make a move._

 _"_ _ **Disarming Voice**_ _!"_

 _Ralts heard the call, and he let out a high-pitched screech, creating a pink soundwave that headed straight for Chespin._

 _Chespin turned around, but he wouldn't have enough time to dodge it. "Chespin, hold your ground, and then use_ _ **Vine Whip**_ _to pull Ralts towards you!" Patrick ordered._

 _Chespin endured the loud soundwaves, while the clones of Ralts slowly disappeared. While still in the middle of Ralts' Disarming Voice, he sent his vines out again, this time, wrapping them around Ralts' arms and pulling him towards him._

 _"_ _Let go, and then use_ _ **Tackle**_ _!" Patrick ordered._

 _Just as Ralts was about to reach Chespin, Chespin let his vines return to him, and then he ran head first into Ralts, causing him to roll to a stop on the ground._

 _"_ _Ralts, are you alright?!" Levy called out, concerned. Slowly but surely, Ralts stood up, and he sent a reassuring smile at Levy. She let out a small sigh of relief. At least he was still alright. "Do you want to continue?" she asked him, to which he nodded his head in confirmation._

 _"_ _There is no way that I am backing out, now." he responded._

 _Levy nodded her head in understanding. "Alright, then. In that case, use_ _ **Disarming Voice**_ _, again!" she commanded._

 _Patrick chuckled. "Do you think it will work better the second time?" he asked with a small smirk on his face. "Get in close, and then use_ _ **Bite**_ _!"_

 _Chespin jumped to the side, avoiding Ralts' attack. He charged forward on side of the fairy-type attack, and he created a pair of white jaws in front of him that crunched down on Ralts, creating a small explosion._

 _Upon seeing the explosion, Levy's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in shock. She couldn't see what happened, but she knew that it couldn't be good, judging by the explosion. "Please be alright." she thought._

 _As the smoke cleared, however, it revealed the Ralts was gone. Suddenly, Ralts reappeared in front of Levy, with a look of surprise on his face. This made Gardevoir smile._

 _"_ _It looks like Ralts just learned Teleport." she said. Instead of Ralts being hit by Bite, he learned and used Teleport just in time, and Chespin ended up hitting the ground, instead._

 _Patrick looked at the small psychic/fairy-type Pokemon, impressed. "I definitely wasn't expecting that." he replied._

 _Levy just looked down at Ralts, still too shocked to speak. She thought that he had gotten caught in that explosion. Though, she is relieved to know that he is alright._

 _Seeing that she was still worried, Ralts spoke. "I'm fine. Now, let's continue this battle." he said, shocking Levy again. How could he nearly be caught in that attack, and then still want to continue? If he would've gotten hit by that, he could be in bad shape, right now. Yet, he is just shrugging it off. Still, he wants to continue fighting, so that is what she is going to do._

 _Despite wanting to quit, Levy isn't going to give up, so long as Ralts is still willing to continue. Although, she isn't quite sure what to do. Chespin has already gotten past Disarming Voice. Confusion might work, but then he will just find another way to counter it. Double Team is a good way to distract him, but that will only last for so long. As for Teleport, it would be obvious what she is planning. However, she remembered something that she learned during one of her jobs. A good way to gain an advantage in a fight is to use the surrounding environment to your advantage._

 _"_ _Use_ _ **Confusion**_ _on the broken rock from Chespin's Bite!" she ordered._

 _Ralts used his Confusion on the broken rock, and the pieces of rock began to float above Chespin, casting a shadow above him._

 _"_ _Drop them!" Levy commanded, which Ralts did. Ralts released Confusion, allowing the rocks to fall on top of Chespin. However, Patrick reacted before Chespin was buried underneath rock._

 _"_ _Destroy them using_ _ **Pin Missile**_ _!" he ordered. The leaf-like projectiles shot towards the rocks, destroying them and causing small pebbles to fall to the ground, instead._

 _"_ _ **Disarming Voice**_ _!"_

 _The pink soundwaves travelled towards Chespin, making him slide back a bit. It isn't very effective, but it still does some damage._

 _Still, Chespin doesn't need to be close in order to attack. "Chespin,_ _ **Pin Missile**_ _again!" Patrick ordered._

 _Once more, Chespin sent the leaf-like projectiles flying towards Ralts. However, since Ralts was focused on keeping up the Disarming Voice, he couldn't use Confusion to stop himself from being hit. Ralts was engulfed in a small, green explosion. When the dust finally cleared, it revealed Ralts lying on the ground, unconscious._

 _Gardevoir swung her arms forwards. "That's enough! Ralts is unable to battle. Patrick and Chespin are the winners!" she declared._

 _Chespin ran over to his trainer, and he was scooped up in a big hug. "Good job, buddy. You did well." Patrick complimented. He then looked over to Levy he ran over to Ralts and scooped him up into her arms, a look of concern plastered on her face. Patrick called Chespin back to his Pokeball, and he walked to the group of mages._

 _"_ _Is he alright?" Lucy asked, concerned._

 _"_ _He doesn't look too good." Gray responded, seeing the bruises covering the small Pokémon's body._

 _Natsu groaned. "Man, I thought you were gonna win, too." he complained, almost ignoring the condition Ralts was in._

 _"_ _That was a good battle." Patrick said, gaining their attention. "Considering that it was your first battle, you did pretty well. I am sure that with some more training, you will both become much stronger. Once you do, I wouldn't mind battling you again." he said with a smile on his face._

 _"_ _Thanks." Levy responded, but her focus was still on Ralts._

 _"_ _You should probably get his injuries treated. You said that a friend of yours is at the professor's lab. They should be able to take care of Ralts." he said._

 _Levy nodded her head in understanding, and without hesitation, she began to run towards the direction of the lab. The others began to follow behind her, especially Gardevoir, because she didn't want them to get lost, on the way. However, Lucy stopped quickly, and she turned to face Patrick._

 _"_ _It was nice meeting you." she said, before running after the others._

 _He gave them a small wave, before turning to leave, himself. "Well, that was interesting. I have a feeling that I am going to be seeing them again, rather soon."_

* * *

After Levy finished explaining, Lowell placed a hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't beat yourself up over that, so much. Sure, you lost, but not everyone wins their first battles. Even so, you both did pretty well. From here on out, you can only get better. So, don't be so upset about a single loss." he said.

"I'm not upset about the loss." Levy responded, looking back at Ralts through the glass.

Lowell sighed. "I understand. Every trainer, at some point, feels like they are responsible when something like this happens. Though, in a way, we are partly responsible, but at the end of the day, there is nothing we can do about it. In Pokemon battles, a Pokemon is going to get hurt. It can't always be avoided. Still, as long as you tried your best, and as long as you didn't give up, then I doubt that Ralts will blame or be mad at you." he explained.

The other trainers and Pokemon in the room nodded their heads in agreement. "He's right. When I first battled with Delphox when she was still a Fennekin, we lost, and I blamed myself for her getting hurt. However, afterwards, she rubbed her nose against my cheek, telling me that she didn't blame me for what happened." Bella recounted.

"You care deeply for Ralts, and I am sure that he can see that, as well. Don't worry. I am sure that Ralts will understand." Diantha responded.

Levy nodded her head in understanding, feeling a little better. Despite feeling discouraged after what happened, she won't let this stop her. She will learn from this loss, and the feelings that came with it. Together with Ralts, they will learn and grow.

"So, how long do you think it will take until Ralts is better?" Levy asked, hopeful.

Sophie joined the others a while ago, so she is able to answer her question, herself. "Ralts was unconscious, but the injuries he sustained weren't very dangerous. He should be feeling like normal, after an hour or two." she explained, causing Levy to let out a sigh of relief.

Lowell smiled. "That's good. Also, we have dealt with what we needed to do, so tomorrow, we will be heading out." he announced, making some of the others sad.

"I would've liked to see more of the city, since we didn't get to see as much as we could." Lucy said. They still had quite a bit to see, but then they were interrupted by Patrick.

"I just wanted to spend some more time with Charmander." Natsu said, who is actually holding said Pokemon in his arms. The moment Charmander heard Natsu's voice, he had jumped into the Dragon Slayer's arms. Of course, that made Happy feel jealous, but he didn't say anything, since the last time he did that, Charmander burnt him with his Ember.

The professor smiled. "Well, if that's the case, then why don't you just take Charmander with you?" the professor suggested. "I saw how much you two enjoyed playing with each other, yesterday, so I was planning on asking you to take him with you, when you left. I am sure that he would make an excellent partner, for you."

Hearing that made Natsu yell in excitement, and Charmander mimicked his actions.

"Alright! It looks like we get to spend more time together." Natsu said, looking down at his new friend.

Gray sighed. "Great. Another idiot to cause more damage." he said, resulting in him taking an Ember attack to the face.

Natsu and Charmander both laughed at Gray, but then they both paled when they saw Gardevoir sending them small glares. Almost immediately, they backed away, wanting to avoid Gardevoir's wrath.

"They definitely are perfect for each other." Lucy responded, fearing what kind of damage those two will cause together, in the future.

Levy giggled, as she watched the dragon slayer and the fire-type hide from Gardevoir. "I think that it is cute." she replied.

The professor came back with Charmander's Pokeball, and he handed it to Natsu. He was considering giving him a Pokedex, but Lowell told him to not even bother, because Natsu was just going to end up destroying it. Instead, he gave one to Levy, because she would take much better care of it than Natsu would.

The professor then addressed the other mages in the room. "How about you two?" he asked.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "I would rather just wait until I find the right partner. If it happened for Levy, I am sure that it can happen for me, as well." she responded, with Gray nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah. I'm in no hurry." Gray responded.

* * *

After that, they simply spent time at the professor's lab, talking. Diantha left, because she had more business to attend to. Lowell decided to give Levy a couple more tips, that may help her, should she ever get into another battle like the one earlier today. Natsu was listening in, as well, since he is now a trainer, as well. Although, he could care less about all the strategic stuff. He simply wants to let loose with Charmander and prove to everyone that they are going to be the strongest trainer and Pokemon duo in Fairy Tail.

Ralts finally finished healing, and he didn't blame Levy for anything that happened. He blamed himself, claiming that he was too weak to win, which ended up with Levy hugging him to reassure him that he did just fine. Lowell was happy to see that Levy seemed to calm down, after everything that happened.

Once it started to get too late, the mages and Lowell and Greninja returned to the Pokemon Center to get some rest before leaving, the next morning.

The next morning, everyone gathered in front of the professor's lab to say goodbye.

"It was wonderful getting to meet you all, and I hope that you come back to visit, in the future." Professor Sycamore said.

Lowell's mother nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I want to thank you for being friends with my son. He isn't the most social person, after all." she said with a joking smile.

Lucy smiled. "Don't worry about it. Things have definitely gotten interesting, after he arrived at the guild." she responded. Of course, given that their guild is Fairy Tail, something interesting is always happening, but she was never expecting Pokemon and Pokemon Trainers to become a part of her life.

"Just remember what we talked about before, Lowell." Bella said with a mischievous grin on her face, causing Lowell to blush a bit. "Also, know that, when the public can finally travel between Fiore and the regions, I will definitely be coming to embarrass you some more." she said.

Lowell sighed. "I wouldn't mind you coming visit, but I would rather you not embarrass me every time that we see each other." he said tiredly.

Bella stuck her tongue out at him. "It's my job. I can't just not embarrass you." she responded.

With that said, Lowell and the others began to leave, with Lowell very much dreading his sister's promised visit. "Sometimes I wonder if it is all older sisters, or if it is just mine." Lowell said to himself.

Levy giggled. "You know you love her. She may be annoying, but she still cares about you. That is why she teases you so much." she said.

"That, and because it is easy and fun to do." Lucy responded, earning a glare from Lowell.

"So, where is the next stop?" Gray asked, curiously.

"The next stop is a berry farm just past Camphrier Town. It shouldn't take much longer than a day to get there." Lowell said.

Natsu groaned, just thinking about getting back on the helicopter. "Do we have to ride the helicopter, again? Can't we just walk?" he asked.

Lowell shook his head. "Nope. It is much quicker this way, and you can consider it a lesson for constantly trying to fight with Gray." he responded.

"That popsicle was asking for it!" Natsu defended.

"What did you say, flame brain?!" Gray asked, getting in Natsu's face.

Before long, the two of them were fighting, and Greninja stopped them both by bonking them on top the head.

Lowell sighed. "I am surrounded by idiots." he said, though, he has a small grin on his face. He may be surrounded by idiots, but those idiots are his friends, and he wouldn't do anything to change that.

* * *

 **AN: Hey guys! I'm sorry if I am posting this a little later than usual, but this chapter is also close to 12K, which is much longer than what I normally upload. I could've rushed it to get it done sooner, but I didn't want to do that. I wanted to take my time with it, to make it as good as possible.**

 **I just finished my last class of the semester on Friday, so after this Thursday, finals will be over, and I will be able to concentrate most of my time on writing this story, as well as a new one I am working on. I won't give too many spoilers, but it is going to be an OCxJenny Realight story. I was inspired to do this by Insane Dominator He brought to my attention that OCxJenny isn't a very popular pairing, and I wanted to help change that. Although, instead of a Pokémon and Fairy Tail crossover, this is going to be a RWBY and Fairy Tail crossover. If all goes according to plan, it should be coming out, within the next week or so. After that, I will try to update each story once a week, at least until I start my next semester of college. After that, I will most likely be alternating between the two, posting a new chapter of either story once every week, instead of both.**

 **With all that rambling out the way, I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, please leave a review, because I always enjoy seeing what you guys think. Have a wonderful day!**


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Levy groaned as she opened her eyes, only for her eyes to be filled with the bright sunlight. She sat up straight in her seat, stretching her back and getting a few pops from her bones. Though she had a peaceful sleep, she wouldn't say that sleeping on the seat of a helicopter is very comfortable. She looked to her right, and she was surprised to see how comfortable the others were.

Gray is fast asleep next to her, with his arms folded over his bare chest. Somehow, during the night, he had managed to strip down to just his shorts, which Levy isn't surprised about. Lucy is on the other side of him, leaned back against her seat with Happy snoring quietly in her lap. Meanwhile, Natsu is sprawled out in his seat, snoring rather loudly. Although, he has been knocked out, since he got on the helicopter.

Levy let out a quiet yawn, trying not to wake up the others, and she looked out the window to her left. The sun is just starting to rise, making part of the sky a magnificent red. As she stared out at the sky, she couldn't help but feel mesmerized of the sight of the morning sun beaming down on the forest below them. This is the first time she has witnessed a sunrise in Kalos, and while it isn't any different than back in Fiore, she can't help but admire the natural beauty of Kalos.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice asked, making Levy jump slightly in her seat. She had almost forgotten about the pilot. Still, a small smile made its way to her lips.

"Yes, it is. I think I understand why you would want to be a pilot. You get to see this, from such a great view." she responded.

Levy couldn't see it from where she is sitting, but the pilot nodded his head in agreeance. "You've got that right. Travelling constantly is a little tiring, but I wouldn't trade this view for anything in the world. You get to see everything from a different perspective, and you get to see so much more of the world than you would if you just walked everywhere." he explained.

Levy nodded her head in understanding. He isn't wrong. There is so much that a person is missing out on by travelling on foot, or even by train. However, up here, everything is visible to them. She wouldn't mind flying, more often.

However, after speaking with him, she forgot about something. "What is your name?" Levy asked, a little embarrassed that she never got the man's name.

"It's Frank." Lowell said, surprising Levy.

"You're up, as well?" Levy asked, to which Lowell nodded his head in affirmation.

"Yeah. I've been up for a while. I am sure that you have already noticed, but the seats aren't the most comfortable thing in the world." Lowell responded, before looking towards Frank. "No offence, though."

The pilot shrugged his shoulders. "None taken. I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Still, a part of my job is staying awake to actually fly the helicopter, so maybe the seats not being comfortable is a good thing."

Lowell let out a light chuckle. "When has that stopped you from almost falling asleep?" he asked, causing the older man next to him to flinch a little. "If I remember correctly, the first time you ever flew me somewhere, you had nearly fallen asleep, and we would've crashed had I not noticed in time."

Levy looked at Frank in shock. "You almost fell asleep, while you were flying a helicopter?" she asked, a little concerned for her and her friends' well-beings. However, Frank just shrugged her concern off, before sending a small glare at Lowell.

"That was one time." Frank responded.

"Still, I don't think that is a good thing." Levy replied, a little nervous. Why would they let him be a pilot?

"Don't worry, Levy. Other than that one time, he is a pretty good pilot." Lowell responded. Although, he never really will understand how he fell asleep while flying a helicopter. The answer to that is something that still eludes him.

Levy shook her head in disbelief. "Anyways, how much longer until we reach Camphrier Town?" she asked, attempting to change the subject.

"We're not that far away. It shouldn't take longer than another fifteen minutes, or so." Frank answered. "Although, it may take longer than that just to wake up pinky, back there." he said, gesturing towards Natsu.

Lowell chuckled. "Don't worry. There are ways of getting him to wake up." he said.

"We are not throwing him out of the helicopter." Levy responded.

Lowell sighed. "As fun as that sounds, that wasn't what I was thinking, anyways. I think that what I have in mind is a little more entertaining, at least if he reacts how I think he is going to." he responded with a mischievous smile on his face.

* * *

Minutes later, the group arrived at Camphrier Town, and they landed just outside the town. The others have already woken up, and they gathered outside the helicopter, where Natsu is still passed out. Lowell got close up to Natsu's face, and he cleared his throat before yelling.

"Erza's here!" he yelled.

Suddenly, Natsu jumped up, nearly hitting Lowell in the chin. "What?! Where?! How the hell did she get here?!" he asked in a panic, trying to hide somewhere, only to realize that he was on a vehicle, which caused his cheeks to puff up in disgust. He then began to fall forward, until he fell out the helicopter, landing on the ground head first. This resulted in everyone around him to laugh, including Frank, who is chuckling from the pilot's seat, and Greninja, who just came out of his Pokeball.

"How pathetic." Gray responded, laughing with his arms crossed over his chest.

Lucy just shook her head. "He is an idiot." she responded.

"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed, landing on her shoulder. "But he wouldn't be Natsu, otherwise."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "You're right. He wouldn't be Natsu, if he didn't act so silly all the time."

"Not…funny." Natsu groaned from his place on the ground.

"On the contrary, Natsu." Lowell responded as he passed the motion sick dragon slayer, with Greninja following right behind him. "I'd say that it is pretty hilarious. Now, let's get going. The person I am meeting with doesn't know that we are coming, so I would like to get this done as soon as possible, so that we don't inconvenience him."

The others agreed, and they began to follow Lowell and Greninja into town. It took Natsu a little while, but he finally managed to stand up on his own, and he raced after the rest of the group.

Overall, Camphrier Town isn't very big, and there isn't anything to noteworthy. However, in the distance, they can see the beginning of a rather large plot of land, and the property is littered with berry trees. The others could only assume that this was the berry farm they were looking for.

"So, you've been here, before?" Lucy asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Of course. When I first started my travels, I passed through this town. It was when I first met the owner of the farm and his daughter. However, over the years, they have expanded a lot, and a lot more people have come to work on the farm." he explained.

"The owner was thankful for us helping him with his farm, when we got the time, so he provides us with berries whenever we are running low." Greninja added.

Gray looked at Lowell in shock. "Wait." he said. "You worked on a farm?" he asked.

"That sounds boring." Natsu commented.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't say that we worked on the farm, necessarily. We simply helped out, whenever we passed by. We didn't get paid, or anything like that, but I feel like the berries he gives us are generous enough. We would've done it for nothing, though. Besides, having knowledge on berries and how to grow them is very valuable for any trainer."

Levy smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "I agree. After what happened in Camellia Town, I realized just how important these berries can be. I think that it is pretty cool that you know how to take care of these berry trees." Levy replied.

Lowell frowned a bit, remembering seeing Levy poisoned. It isn't a memory that he is fond of, but he shook the memory away, letting himself grin at her compliment. "Thanks. Although, it can be quite difficult, at first. It took a while before my Pokemon and I were able to plant and harvest the berries properly." he responded, thinking back to the times he accidently broke a branch or picked a berry before it was ready to be picked.

"So, what exactly can you do with these berries?" Lucy asked. "I know that they are useful for medicine, and you can eat them, but is there anything else they can be used for?" she asked curiously.

Greninja nodded his head. "Of course, there is. They can be used for different treats designed for Pokemon. Examples of this are the Pokeblocks, Poffins, and Pokepuffs. Although, Lowell doesn't know how to make any of those." the ninja Pokemon said, sending Lowell an amused smirk.

This caused Lowell to sigh. "I can kind of make Pokepuffs, but they aren't exactly what I would call good. I either undercook or overcook them, and I often make them far too sweet, bitter, or spicy. There is a reason why I don't cook very often." he explained, albite embarrassedly. That is another reason why he was happy when he returned home. During his journey, he rarely stayed in towns for long, which meant that he had to make do with berries he could find in the forest. When he did have ingredients he could use to cook with, he didn't have that much practice with cooking, so most things came out too burnt to eat. Being able to eat his mother's cooking, which wasn't burnt, was definitely appreciated.

Levy stifled a small giggle. "Don't worry. I'm not the greatest cook, either, and I don't think that anyone else here is." she said, giving the others a brief glance.

Lucy shook her head. "Nope. I'm decent, but it isn't anything to write home about." she responded.

Gray shrugged his shoulders. "I rarely cook, since I normally just buy something." he replied.

"I can cook fish." Happy said. "Although, I think they are better raw." he continued, making those around him sweat-drop. Suddenly, Natsu got in his friend's face, startling him a bit.

"What are you talking about?!" he demanded. "I'm the one that cooks your fish!"

"More like burns them." Lucy responded. She has seen him "cook" a fish before, and it didn't even come close to being considered actual cooking.

Natsu turned and glared at Lucy. "They aren't burnt! They are just really charred." he argued. "It is what gives them the flavor."

Gray chuckled. "Yeah, if you want to eat fish that tastes like ash." he responded, before getting punched in the face by Natsu. Before anyone could do anything, the two started a brawl with each other, and they continued fighting until a blue flash caught their attention. The two mages turned, and they were frightened to see the angry glare of Gardevoir aimed for them.

"Do you want me to break you two up, or are you going to do that yourselves?" she asked with an authoritative tone in her voice. Luckily, the two of them have learned that Gardevoir can be even scarier than Erza if prompted, and they immediately wrapped an arm around each other's shoulder, acting like best friends. This made the others laugh. It is almost as if Erza was right there with them.

Satisfied, Gardevoir nodded her head at them. "Good." she said before turning to face Lowell. "Allow me to stay out for a while, to keep these two in check. I wouldn't want them to cause trouble once we get to the farm." she insisted.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "Fine by me. Though, I doubt Ryder and Emilia will mind too much, considering how Emelia can be quite childish, herself, at times."

* * *

With that said, the group continued onward, until they reached the entrance to the farm. From the entrance, they can see a small farmhouse, as well as acres of land set aside for berry trees. People and Pokemon alike are working in the berry fields, harvesting the latest crop of berries. With how quickly they grow, it is important to constantly harvest them, otherwise they would miss out on potential harvests.

However, Lowell noticed something that made him rather concerned. He can see the workers in the field, but there are noticeably less people around. Normally, the fields are full of people and Pokemon, but now there are no more than a couple dozen people and Pokemon combined. It isn't a holiday, either, and he doubts that this many people would take off at once.

"Something doesn't seem right." he thought out loud. Both Greninja and Gardevoir nodded their heads in agreement.

"This is rather unsettling." Greninja responded.

"Maybe we should look for Ryder or Emelia. Either one of them should be able to explain what is going on." Gardevoir suggested.

Hearing the way they are talking, Levy became a bit concerned. "Is something wrong?" Levy asked. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah." Gray agreed. "You seem a bit on edge."

Lowell was about to explain, but then he caught notice of a head of blonde hair in the distance. Emelia is busy tending to a berry tree, with a black, phantom-like Pokemon floating next to her. It has a head that looks like a tree log, with wooden horns sticking out on either side of its head. It also has big, red eyes. It is helping the young girl harvest the berries.

Lowell and his Pokemon began to walk to her, and the others followed behind them. The mages assumed that they knew her, and that she could explain what was going on.

"Hey, Emelia, Phantump." Lowell called out, causing the two in question to turn around. They smiled when they saw Lowell walking towards them. She dusted off her brown overalls, and she fixed her hair, which had gotten messy from working in the fields.

"Hey, Lowell. You haven't been around, in a while." Emelia greeted, before noticing the group of people behind him. "I didn't realize you were capable of making friends." she joked, earning a false laugh from Lowell.

"Very funny." he responded, with a slight grin on his lips. "Anyways, these are my friends: Levy, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy." he introduced.

The others gave Emelia a small wave, and Emelia raised a brow upon seeing Happy. "Is that a new kind of Pokemon?" she asked, curiously.

"Nope!" Happy responded. "I'm just a flying, blue cat." he responded.

"Exceed." Lucy corrected. She still doesn't understand how Happy forgets that.

Emelia and Phantump seemed a little shocked that Happy could talk, although, not too shocked. "If Phantump and the other Pokemon hadn't randomly started talking, this would've freaked me out." she said.

Phantump nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. I still don't understand how that happened."

Lowell scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, we can explain why, but that will have to wait until later." Lowell said. "First off, can you explain why this place is so empty?" Lowell asked.

The question made Emelia frown. "Yeah. I guess you should know about what has been going on." she said before grabbing a basket filled with berries and walking past them. She looked back at them. "My grandfather is inside the house. He can explain everything that is going on. Follow me." she said.

They did as she said, and they followed her to the wooden farmhouse. It hasn't changed since the last time Lowell has been here. They walked inside, and Emelia placed the berries on a table in the living room. "Grandpa, Lowell is here, and he brought friends!" she called out.

"Now that is something I never expected to here." an elderly voice called out from upstairs, followed by a small laugh. Footsteps could be heard, and an elderly man with graying hair, wearing a white shirt, brown overalls, and brown boots walked down the stairs. He smiled upon seeing Lowell. "It's good to see that you are getting out of your social awkwardness." he said.

"It's still there, don't worry." Greninja responded, earning a laugh from everyone aside from Lowell. "Anyways, we have come here because we needed your help with something, but it seems like that will have to wait. Apparently, something has happened on the farm."

Ryder frowned and sighed. "You're right about that. Well, how about we sit down, and we can discuss what has been going on. You can tell us what you need help with, as well. If we have the power to do so, we will help."

Everyone gathered at the table in the living room, and everyone was given some of the berries that Emelia just picked. Of course, Greninja only got Oran Berries, because Emelia remembered Greninja's…fixation with them.

Lucy bit into a Nanab Berry, and her eyes widened at the flavor. It is bitter, but with a delicate sweetness to it. "Wow. This is pretty good." she commented.

Levy nodded her head in agreement, after biting into a Cheri Berry. However, it was a little spicier than she was expecting, and she began to cough a bit.

"Are you alright?" Lowell asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Levy blushed a little at the gesture, as well as Lowell, but she just nodded her head, and he removed his hand from her shoulder.

"Yeah. It was just spicier than I was expecting it to be. I never really associated fruit with being spicy. Sour, yes, but not spicy." she explained.

Ryder and Emelia both chuckled. "Yes. There are a lot of different berries, and each of them have their own distinct flavor. Of course, we don't grow every type of berry here on our farm, but we sure do grow a lot of them." Ryder explained.

Natsu picked up a red, spiky fruit, and he took a bite out of it. He gave a toothy grin. "Man, these are pretty good. This might be the best fruit I have ever tasted." he commented.

Curious, both Happy and Lucy grabbed a similar fruit, and they began to take a bite out of it. Lowell immediately recognized the fruit, and he tried to stop them before eating it, but it was too late.

"Hot~!" Lucy and Happy exclaimed simultaneously.

Lowell sighed, as he watched the two of them running around, looking for water. "I tried to warn you. Cheri Berries are spicy, but Tomato Berries are even spicier." he said, remembering the first time he ever tried one. His lips swell up, and he couldn't talk properly for a couple of hours.

Emelia looked at Natsu in amazement. "Yeah. I am surprised that he was able to eat it, without reacting like them." she said, watching Lucy and Happy beg Gray to cool them off.

Natsu smirked. "Well, I am the Fire Dragon Slayer." he announced, before realizing what he did.

"Fire Dragon Slayer?" Ryder asked in confusion. He looked towards Lowell. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Lowell sighed. "Well, I was going to tell you anyways, so I guess it isn't that big of a deal." he responded.

It took about half an hour, but Lowell was able to explain a majority of what has been including on, including magic and the coming of Ishgar to Earth. They seemed to not believe him at first, but after they saw Natsu and Gray use their magic, they didn't have any problems believing Lowell's words.

"We came here, because we were hoping that you could supply berries to Ishgar. The Pokemon there are without a proper source of food, and they have begun resorting to stealing from nearby towns or cities. It is an issue for the people of Ishgar, as well as the Pokemon themselves." Lowell explained.

"I understand." Ryder responded. "I can send a message to other berry farmers, and see what they are willing to provide. However, at the moment, we are a little understaffed, like you have already noticed."

"What exactly happened?" Greninja asked.

"Most of the workers are too afraid to show up, because of the Spearow and Fearow." Emelia answered.

"Spearow and Fearow?" Gray asked. "I'm guessing that those are Pokemon, as well."

Lowell nodded his head, taking out his Pokedex. He pressed a couple buttons, before showing it to the mages. The picture of a small, bird-like Pokemon with brown feathers appeared on the screen.

" ** _Spearow: The Tiny Bird Pokemon. Spearow has a very loud cry that can be heard over half a mile away. If its high, keening cry is heard echoing all around, it is a sign that they are warning each other of danger."_** the Pokedex said.

The picture then changed to one of a much larger bird, that looks fairly similar to Spearow.

" ** _Fearow: The Beak Pokemon. Fearow is recognized by its long neck and elongated beak. They are conveniently shaped for catching prey in soil or water. It deftly moves its long and skinny beak to pluck prey."_** the Pokedex continued.

"After your last visit, a flock of Spearow and a Fearow began to visit our farm. At first, they were kind, and they took care of the bug-type Pokemon who threatened to consume all the berries. They were most welcome here." Ryder explained.

"However, that soon changed. Several weeks ago, they began appearing and eating the berries as soon as they were fully grown, and then they leave after that. Apparently, they were being kind to us, so that they could gain our trust. We tried to stop them, but none of the Pokemon on the farm are very capable battlers." Emelia continued.

Lowell sighed. "I'm guessing that many of the workers got scared, and they left." he said, and the two farmers nodded their heads in confirmation.

"We'd like to help you, Lowell, but until we can solve the problem with the Spearow and Fearow, we can only help by spreading the word to other farmers." Ryder apologized.

"There is no need to apologize, Ryder." Lowell assured him. "Besides, I think that we might be able to help you with your problem."

Natsu nodded his head in agreeance. "Of course. As Fairy Tail mages, we can't just leave, knowing that someone needs help. Right, guys?"

"We may as well, considering that we are already here." Gray responded.

"Yeah. If these Pokemon are causing trouble for the farm, then the only right choice would be to help them." Lucy agreed.

Levy smiled. This will give her and Ralts a chance to gain more experience. After their loss yesterday, she wants to prove that she can still become a trainer worthy of Ralts' trust. "I want to help, too."

Already knowing Greninja and Gardevoir's choices, Lowell turned to face Ryder and Emelia. "We helped you take care of the farm when it was much smaller, and when there were less people willing to help. It only seems right that my team and I help you, now." he explained.

This warmed Ryder and Emelia's hearts. They will never understand why Lowell is so willing to help them. He chose to help them, years ago, and he is offering his help yet again. Without him and his team, who knows what would've happened to the farm?

"I thank you for your assistance. I assure you, that once these pesky Pokemon have been dealt with, we will be more than willing to provide you with the berries you need." Ryder said.

Emelia nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. Although, don't think that we are going to let you guys do all the work. We may not be expert battlers, but we can still help. We want to protect the farm, as well." she declared, turning to her ghostly partner. "Right, Phantump?"

Phantump smiled and pumped his tiny fists into the air. "We won't let those Spearow and Fearow tarnish our farm, any longer." he announced.

Seeing their determination, Lowell smiled. As long as they work together, they will be able to keep the farm and the berries safe. "So, when does the flock normally appear?" he asked. If they know when they will attack, they can be ready for them.

"They come every couple of days. They last showed up yesterday. I would say we at least have one or two days before they come back." Ryder answered.

"Two days." Lowell said to himself. That should be enough time to get ready. He already has an idea, but having extra time to fine tune it won't hurt in the slightest. For the mean time, it is important that they prepare themselves for a fight. Spearow and Fearow are very aggressive, making it hard to reason with them. Most likely, they won't leave, unless force is used. Not only that, but flocks of Spearow and Fearow tend to be rather massive. They may be on the weaker side, but they make up for that in their numbers and their stubbornness.

"Do you think that is enough time?" Levy asked, a little concerned.

Lowell smiled at her and nodded his head. "Yeah. I have a plan, which involves leading most of them away from the farm, and separating them to take them on in groups. However, I need some more time to improve upon it." he explained.

This put the others at ease, knowing that he at least has an idea of how he wants to defeat them. However, Natsu isn't the happiest with that plan.

"That sounds boring." he said, igniting his fist. "I say we attack those bird-brains head-on, and show them not to mess with Fairy Tail wizards!"

"What kind of plan is that?" Emilia asked. "You might be strong, but you will be quickly outnumbered by the sheer amount of Spearow in the flock." she insisted.

"How big exactly is the flock?" Lucy asked.

Ryder placed his hand on his chin in thought. "I would say close to one-hundred, plus the Fearow." he answered, causing Lucy, Happy, and Levy to sweat-drop.

"That many?!" they asked in disbelief.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "That is quite a big flock. I don't think I have ever seen one that big, before."

"I agree." Gardevoir responded. "Although, as much as I hate to admit it, Natsu has a good point. If we can gather them all in one place, then we should be able to take them all out at once, with a powerful enough attack." she explained. With her Thunderbolt, as well as Stunfisk and his Electric-Type attacks, they would make quick work of the flock.

"See?! I told you!" Natsu declared loudly.

"However, that does not mean that we can act carelessly. It is still worth thinking about, to make sure that our strategy will work, in the end." Gardevoir continued, sending the dragon slayer a small glare, prompting him to calm down, a bit.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. We still have time to come up with our exact strategy, but until then, I suggest that we get some training in." he said. He turned to face Levy. "You've only had one battle, and it ended in your loss. However, with more training, you will do much better in the future." he said, making Levy grin. He then turned to face Natsu. "You, however, have yet to have a battle. You get along well with Charmander, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will work well together, in battle." He said, making Natsu cross his arms over his chest and let out an annoyed huff.

Emelia looked at her grandfather. "We have more experience than both of them, but we also aren't exactly trained battlers, so we could use the extra practice, as well, just in case we do need to battle." she said, to which her grandfather agreed.

"Wait, what are we going to do, then?" Gray asked, meaning him, Lucy, and Happy. Since they aren't trainers, they can't participate in the training they were going to be going through.

"Just watch. Certainly, you will find a partner, eventually, and then you will be able to use what you learn from watching these battles to improve your own skills." Lowell explained.

Lucy nodded her head in understanding. "It makes sense." she said.

Lowell took a quick look around, and he realized that he had almost forgotten something. "Wait. Ryder, where is Noctowl?" he asked.

Ryder sighed. "He is upstairs, resting. He fought with the Fearow leading the rest of the flock, yesterday, and one of his wings got hurt. It has been healing nicely, but he isn't as young as he used to be. He's got a long way to go before he will even consider taking a break, but age can wear down anyone." he explained, sadly.

"Who is Noctowl?" Levy asked. "Is he your Pokemon?" she asked.

Ryder let out a small chuckle, before shaking his head. "No. Noctowl came to the farm when I was just a young boy, when he was still a Hoothoot. However, he took quite the liking to the farm, so he stuck around. He doesn't have a trainer, but he has been a big help, on the farm." he explained.

"Do you mind if I go up and see him?" Lowell asked. He doesn't want to disturb Noctowl, but he is very fond of the old Owl Pokemon.

Ryder smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. I'm sure he will be very happy to see you. Once you are done, go around the back of the house. There is enough space for the battles, back there." he said, standing up from the table.

Ryder and the others went to go outside, aside from Lowell, Greninja, and Levy. Gardevoir left with the others, because she wanted to keep an eye on Natsu and Gray, mainly Natsu, though.

"Why didn't you go with the others?" Greninja asked curiously.

"I want to meet as many Pokemon as I possibly can. Also, it sounds like Noctowl is a very kind and determined Pokemon, despite his growing age. I am interested to meet him." she explained. She also feels kind of bad, about how he got hurt. She wanted to make sure that he was alright, even if there wasn't much she could do to help.

Lowell smiled at her. "I'm sure that he will be happy to meet you, as well." he said, gratefully. Seeing Levy care so much about a Pokemon she has never even met before makes him happy. He can tell that she will be an amazing trainer, just because of how big her heart is.

The three of them went up the stairs, and they saw that there was a door open, down the hall. They peeked inside, and they could see the Owl Pokemon resting in the windowsill, looking down into the backyard. His right wing is heavily bandaged, making Lowell frown a bit.

"How are you feeling?" Lowell asked, stopping a few feet away from Noctowl. Levy and Lowell did the same, waiting for a response.

A small sigh escaped the Pokémon's beak. "Well, I have been better. Although, I am confident to say that I haven't gone senile, quite yet." he said with a small chuckle. He turned around, and he smiled upon seeing Levy. "I see that you have finally gone out and got yourself a girlfriend." he said, causing both Levy and Lowell to blush fiercely.

 _"_ _Why does this keep happening?"_ they both thought, simultaneously.

"No, Noctowl. We aren't dating. This is Levy, and we are…just friends." he told the Owl Pokemon.

Noctowl could take one look at them and tell that, even if they weren't dating, they definitely like each other. Old age definitely does come with its perks, like wisdom. Although, considering how they are blushing, and by Greninja's shake of the head, he took that as a signal to not push the topic, any further.

"Still, I am grateful that you finally made some friends, other than your team." Noctowl continued. When he first met Lowell, he was still a rather antisocial person. Although, he can tell that he has changed much since then.

Lowell sighed. "Has this become some sort of running joke with all of you?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yes. Yes, it has." Greninja responded.

"Anyways, I heard you all talking downstairs." Noctowl said. "You are planning on taking on the flock of Spearow, and the Fearow. I wish you luck, because that Fearow was a lot tougher than I was expecting."

Lowell smiled. "Don't worry. We'll handle it, and then the farm will be safe, again." he said, petting Noctowl's head lightly. "Well, now it is time for some training. You will be able to watch from the window, if you want."

"I would go with you and watch, but it is a little hard to move around with my wing like this." Noctowl said, lifting up his damaged wing. However, that action made him wince, and lower his wing back down.

"Don't worry about that. Just focus on resting." Levy said. Noctowl did as she said, and he settled back down on the windowsill.

"Just make sure that Lowell doesn't do anything stupid. He tends to do that, from time to time." Noctowl responded, making Lowell sigh and Levy laugh.

* * *

Lowell, Levy, and Greninja left Noctowl to rest, while they met up with the others outside. Ryder and Emelia are standing together, with their partners by their sides. Phantump is floating next to Emelia, and a green monkey with a broccoli-like sprout on his head is on top of Ryder's shoulder. Lucy, Gray, and Happy are off to the side, while Natsu is warming up with Charmander.

Levy caught sight of the Pokemon on Ryder's shoulder, and she took out her Pokedex and aimed it at the monkey-like Pokemon.

 **"** **Pansage: The Grass Monkey Pokemon. It shares the leaf on its head with weary-looking Pokémon. These leaves are known to relieve stress."** the Pokedex said.

"Is that Ryder's partner?" Levy asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Pansage are very good at finding berries, which makes him a suitable partner for Ryder. Plus, both Pansage and Phantump have abilities related to berries. That is something to consider." he explained.

Levy nodded her head in understanding. Although, she wonders how those abilities will come in handy, during a battle.

Natsu noticed them coming, and he began to get excited, along with Charmander. "Finally! Now we can start fighting!" he exclaimed, lighting his fist on fire, while Charmander breathed a little fire from his mouth.

"Calm down." Lowell said, making his way towards the others. "We didn't even establish how we were going to do this."

"Yeah." Emelia agreed. "Who is going to battle who?" she asked.

Lowell and Greninja walked to the sidelines, where they would act as the judges for the battle. Well, Lowell will act as the judge. Greninja will explain something to Natsu or Levy, if something confuses them.

"I figured, that it may as well be a double-battle." Lowell said, already confusing Natsu and Levy.

"What is a double-battle?" Levy asked, only having been in a regular Pokemon battle, before.

"It is simple. Either each trainer uses two Pokemon, or two trainers can team up against two other trainers, and each trainer uses one Pokemon. The battle is over when one side's Pokemon is unable to battle." Greninja explained.

"I think it makes sense. Ryder and Emelia can be one team, while Levy and Natsu can be another. This way, both teams will be made of people who know how to work with each other." Lowell explained.

Seeing the logic in it, no one disagreed. Although it is a bit different from a regular Pokemon battle, the objective is still the same. Levy isn't sure how well Ralts and Charmander will work together, though, which is what concerns her, a bit. Still, that won't stop her from trying her best to win.

She called Ralts out, and he looked at her with an eager expression on his face. "Are we already getting into another battle?" he asked excitedly.

Seeing his eagerness made Levy giggle a little. She will never understand how he could move past a loss so quickly, but that isn't a bad thing. It shows how determined he is, and it makes her want to work even harder, so that his determination won't go to waste. "Yes. Although, this time around, we are going to have a little help." she said, looking towards Natsu.

Natsu gave her a toothy grin and a thumbs up. "You got that right, and we are gonna win, too!" he declared. "Right, Charmander?" he asked.

The Lizard Pokemon nodded his head and sent a small glare over at his opponents. "They won't see what hit em'." he responded cockily.

Seeing their confidence, Emelia scoffed. "You haven't even participated in a Pokemon battle, before." she responded. "How are you so confident?" she asked.

Ryder nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. While confidence is a good thing, too much confidence can prove to be a person's downfall."

Gray chuckled. "When has that ever stopped Natsu?" he asked, earning a nod of agreement from Lucy and Happy.

"Yeah. Natsu is always overconfident in his abilities, but he is still able to back it up. He may be an idiot, but when it comes to a fight, he somehow knows what to do to win, even if he has the disadvantage." Lucy responded, remembering all the battles Natsu realistically should've lost, in the past. Things are a little bit different now, seeing as though this is a Pokemon battle, but she is sure that Natsu and Levy will be able to win, if they work together.

"Go Natsu! Show them who they are messing with!" Happy yelled from on top of Lucy's shoulder.

The four trainers distanced themselves from each other, standing next to their partners. Phantump flew in front of Emelia, while Pansage hopped off Ryder's shoulder, landing next to Phantump. Ralts and Charmander are already next to each other, waiting for the battle to start.

"The battle between Emelia and Ryder, and Levy and Natsu will now begin." Lowell announced, taking up the role of the judge. He doesn't do this very often, but he still knows how it goes. "The battle will be concluded when either side's Pokemon are unable to continue. Is everyone ready?"

"Just start the battle already!" Natsu demanded impatiently, making Levy sigh.

"Fine. If everyone is ready, begin!" Lowell announced.

Not wanting his opponents to get the first move, Natsu acted swiftly. "Let's heat things up with **Ember**!" he declared.

Charmander took a deep breath and shot hot pellets of fire from his mouth. The Ember attack was heading towards both Phantump and Pansage.

"Phantump and Pansage are both Grass-types, so if they get hit by that, then it won't be good for them." Greninja told the mages, so they would understand what was going on. Despite being one of the weaker fire-type attacks, it is still super effective, so it will do some damage.

However, Ryder wasn't going to let that happen. "Pansage, stop that Ember with **Seed Bomb**!" he ordered, swiping his arm forwards.

"You got it." the Grass Monkey Pokemon replied, leaping into the air. He raised his hands above his head, creating a big, glowing seed. He threw it at the incoming Ember, which caused an explosion to occur.

"Aww! Come on, no fair!" Natsu whined upon seeing Charmander's attack get blocked.

"Now it's our turn!" Emelia said with a confident smile on her face. "Phantump, use **Shadow Ball** on Ralts!" Emelia ordered.

A dark-purple sphere generated in front of Phantump's mouth, and he shot it at Ralts. It hurdled towards him at an incredible speed, but it isn't anything that he can't handle.

"Send it back at them with **Confusion**." Levy commanded.

Ralts nodded his head. "Right." he responded, his eyes now glowing blue. The Shadow Ball was soon engulfed in a blue light, before being sent right back at Phantump. If Levy remembers anything Lowell told her about typing, then she knows that Ghost-type attacks like Shadow Ball are super effective against Ghost-types. As long as Ralts can redirect her attacks, then they should be able to win.

However, just before the Shadow Ball was about to reach Phantump, another Seed Bomb appeared, colliding with the Shadow Ball. The two attacks created a thick smoke that blocked Natsu and Levy's vision of their opponents and their Pokemon.

"Man, it was so close! That monkey is starting to get on my nerves." Natsu complained, with Charmander nodding his head in agreement.

Levy narrowed her eyes at the smoke. She had forgotten about Pansage. As long as he is there, it doesn't matter if she can redirect Phantump's Shadow Ball. Pansage will just counter, before the attack hits. "They may not be experienced battlers, but they sure know how to work together." Levy commented.

" **Crunch**!" Ryder commanded. Suddenly, they saw a green blur cutting through the smoke, appearing right in front of Charmander.

Levy noticed before Natsu was able to react. "Ralts, stop Pansage with **Disarming Voice**!"

Just as Ralts was about to attack, something appeared behind him, and it hit him hard, sending him flying across the field. He came rolling to a stop, and he turned back to see Phantump smirking at him.

"What the hell was that?!" Gray asked with wide eyes.

"How did Phantump get behind Ralts, so quickly?" Lucy asked, confused.

"It was Phantump's **Feint Attack**." Emelia responded.

Now, without Ralts to stop Pansage, he continued his attack on Charmander. He created a pair of massive, white jaw made out of energy in front of him. The jaws latched onto Charmander, creating a small explosion that sent him a few feet backwards.

"Charmander, are you alright?" Natsu asked, worried for his partner. The Lizard Pokemon slowly stood up, giving Natsu a thumbs up.

"Yeah, although, that was a lot stronger than I was expecting." the Fire-type said.

Natsu growled a little bit, expressing his irritation. He isn't going to let that little monkey get the better of him, again. "Use **Scratch**!" Natsu ordered.

Charmander rushed forwards, his claws extended.

Levy looked at Natsu, with a raised brow. "You shouldn't be rushing in, like that. We need to work together, if we want to win. You can't just attack recklessly without thinking." she said, however, Natsu wasn't having it.

"I'm not gonna let that monkey keep getting in our way." he announced, angrily.

Lowell sighed from the sidelines. He had a feeling that this would happen, which is one of the reasons why he suggested the double-battle, in the first place. Natsu needs to learn to stop acting on his own, especially when he is fighting with a teammate. If he keeps doing things on his own, then they are surely going to lose.

Charmander continued his charge, however, he was a little confused as to why Pansage wasn't moving. Doesn't he see him charging straight towards him?

Just as he was about to reach him, Ryder finally gave the command. "Use **Grass Knot**!" he said.

Pansage slammed a palm on the ground, and suddenly, a loop of grass peaked out of the ground right in front of Charmander, causing him to trip and fall.

Ryder looked to his granddaughter. "Now, while he is stuck." he said.

Emelia nodded her head in understanding. "Phantump, use **Shadow Ball** , again!" she ordered.

Phantump did as his trainer said, and he fired off another Shadow Ball towards Charmander. However, before it could reach him, the dark sphere began to glow blue, and it swiftly changed directions and went flying back towards Phantump.

"It didn't work the first time, and it won't work now." Ryder announced. " **Seed Bomb** , again."

Pansage threw another explosive seed towards the reversed Shadow Ball, however, instead of stopping the attack, it just kept going, until it collided with the ground. Pansage and Ryder were both confused at what happened, until they noticed the Shadow Ball now aimed at Pansage from the air. Ralts had redirected the Shadow Ball before Seed Bomb collided with it, and it is now heading straight for Pansage.

Ryder was about to counter attack, but flame pellets hit Pansage from the side, causing him to change his attention to Natsu and Charmander. Charmander burned through the Grass Knot. Natsu is smirking at them.

"I'm not letting you block another attack." he announced. "Keep it going, Levy." he said, receiving a nod from the blue-haired girl.

The Shadow Ball continued its course, until it finally hit Pansage directly, creating a small explosion that engulfed the Grass Monkey Pokemon in smoke.

Once the smoke finally cleared, it revealed Pansage still standing, but with some difficulty. He is covered in bruises, and parts of his skin are burnt from Charmander's Ember.

"Are you alright, Pansage?" Ryder asked.

Pansage looked back at his trainer and smiled. "I've still got some energy left." he said before picking up Citrus Berry and eating it. Soon enough, some of his injuries began to fade away.

Seeing this made Natsu mad. "He can't do that! That's cheating!" he yelled.

Lowell shook his head. "No, it isn't. Pokemon can have held items, including berries. These held items can heal a Pokemon, or boost their stats." he explained.

Ryder nodded his head. "Yeah, and Pansage's ability is Gluttony, which allows him to use his berry earlier than he normally would be able to." he explained.

Levy's eyes widened. "So, that is what Lowell meant." she said to herself.

A sigh escaped Lucy's mouth. "Man, I thought they were doing pretty well, too. Pansage basically healed up all the damage they managed to deal." she said, sadly.

Gray nodded his head in agreement. "They definitely aren't making it easy for Natsu and Levy."

"I'm sure they will be fine. Well, as soon as Natsu stops attacking recklessly." Happy responded.

Charmander retreated back to where Ralts and their trainers are. He looked up at Natsu, wanting to know their next move. "What should we do now?" he asked.

"You can't keep going off on your own, like that." Levy told Natsu. "Their teamwork is incredible. We are lucky that they forgot about Charmander, otherwise, they would've countered that last attack, as well."

Natsu sighed. "Fine. What do you think we should do?" he asked. As much as he would like to defeat them both on his own, he knows that this isn't like a normal fight. If he wants to win, then he will have to work together with the rest of his team, and not by himself.

Levy narrowed her eyes at the Pokemon in front of her. So far, it seems like their plan has been to have Phantump attack, while Pansage blocks any incoming attacks and deals damage when he has the opportunity. Although, Pansage has already used his berry, which means that he can't heal himself, again. Phantump, on the other hand, probably still has a berry.

"We should focus on trying to take out Pansage. We know that he has already used his berry, but Phantump still might have one." she explained.

Natsu nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, then. Charmander, use **Ember** , again." he ordered. Charmander did as he said and shot another barrage of fire pellets at the Grass Monkey.

"Counter with **Seed Bomb**!" Ryder ordered. Pansage threw another explosive seed to counter the Ember, however, once again, it glowed blue.

"Get ready to counter." Emelia told Phantump.

"Right." the Ghost/Grass-type responded.

The Seed Bomb went flying towards Phantump, and he countered by sending another Shadow Ball at it. However, this left Pansage wide open to be hit by the Ember.

"Dodge it, and then use **Acrobatics**!" Ryder ordered.

Pansage jumped to avoid the Ember, which ended up burning the ground below the Grass-type. He went flying through the air towards Charmander, and he started to punch and kick Charmander. The Fire-type tried to dodge, but his movements were too fast, and he was knocked back a few feet, with bruises starting to form.

Greninja winced a bit at the hits inflicted on Charmander. "He was no longer holding an item, which meant that the power of Acrobatics was doubled." he explained to the others, making their eyes widen in surprise.

"So, using that berry before had two purposes, because now that attack is going to always deal double damage." Gray responded.

"Things definitely aren't looking good for them." Lucy said, looking at Levy and Ralts.

"The battle isn't over yet, but things aren't looking in their favor." Greninja responded.

"Phantump, use **Feint Attack**!"

Phantump followed his trainer's order, and he disappeared in a cloak of dark energy. However, after witnessing the attack before, Levy knew that Phantump would appear behind them.

"Ralts, **Double Team**!" she ordered.

The field was covered by dozens of duplicates of Ralts, making it hard to figure out which one is the real one. Although, that isn't a problem for Phantump. Instead of worrying about finding the real Ralts, he attacked one of the many Ralts on the field, and he ended up hitting the real one, making the duplicates disappear.

"How did he find him so easily?" Levy asked, confused.

Phantump returned to Emelia's side. "Feint Attack never misses, even if another Pokemon uses a move like Double Team." she explained, with a triumphant smile. "I don't like to brag, but I think that we've got this battle in the bag." she said.

"I wouldn't say that." Natsu responded, causing the others to look at him. "Sure, we might be at the disadvantage, but that doesn't mean the battle is over, just yet. There is one thing you should know about members of Fairy Tail." he said, watching as Ralts stood back up.

Levy smiled, already knowing what Natsu was implying. "We just don't know when to give up." she replied. "Ralts, use Disarming Voice!"

He let out a loud cry, which made Pansage and Phantump Cover their ears. "Now, Natsu." Levy called out.

"Use **Smokescreen**!" Natsu ordered.

Charmander released a thick smokescreen from his mouth, covering the field in smoke. This was enough to block them from Emelia and Ryder's vision. They tried to see through the smoke, but it was to thick for them to see anything, including their Pokemon who were caught in the middle of the Smokescreen.

Suddenly, another loud cry rang throughout the field, which kept Phantump and Pansage from making any moves.

"Now, use **Ember** on the Smokescreen!" Natsu ordered. Hearing this made Lowell's eyes widen in surprise.

"Wait, is he planning on- "he was cut off by the sound of a massive explosion. Charmander's Ember was enough to cause a reaction with the Smokescreen, causing a huge explosion, which Phantump and Pansage were caught in the middle of.

Emelia and Ryder called out to their Pokemon, worried that they were seriously hurt in the blast. When the smoke finally cleared, it revealed Pansage lying on the ground, unconscious. However, Phantump is still floating in the air, but barely. Suddenly, he began eating a Citrus Berry, which healed his injuries. However, using his Harvest ability, another Citrus Berry was created.

"Pansage is unable to battle, but Phantump can still continue." Lowell announced, making Natsu jump up and down in joy.

"Yes! We finally beat that annoying monkey!" he yelled, making Levy sweat-drop.

"There is still another opponent to defeat." she reminded him, knowing that the battle wasn't over, yet.

Ryder walked over to Pansage and gently picked him up into his arms. He smiled down at his partner. "You did well. You have definitely improved since our last battle." he complimented, making Pansage smile. Pansage then returned to his Pokeball, allowing him to get some rest. Ryder turned to face his granddaughter. "Sorry about that. I guess we still have a lot to improve on." he apologized.

Emelia shook her head. "It's fine. We are still in this, and we aren't giving up until the end. Right, Phantump?"

Phantump nodded his head in agreement. "That was a pretty good idea on their part, but I won't let them win, so easily."

On the side, Lucy and Happy starting cheering, while Gray just watched with an amused grin on his face.

"I should've known that his solution to the problem would be to cause an explosion." he commented.

"That was an impressive call. I am surprised that he was able to think of that, on the spot." Greninja commented. He still has a long way to go, but he is already improving. Levy and Ralts are, as well. They lack power, but they are capable enough of staying back and supporting Natsu and Charmander.

Natsu smiled and looked at Levy. "Are you ready to win this?" he asked.

Levy nodded her head, confident in their chances. She wasn't sure at first, but once Natsu realized that they were in this as a team, things started to turn around, for them.

"Yeah. Let's continue." she said, and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright, Phantump. Let's kick things up a notch. Use **Shadow Ball** , over and over. Don't give them a chance to counter!" she ordered.

"With pleasure!" he responded, sending a barrage of Shadow Balls towards Charmander and Ralts.

"Charmander, blow them up with **Ember**!" Natsu ordered.

"Make them collide with each other, using **Confusion**!" Levy ordered.

One by one, they were able to destroy most of the Shadow Balls. However, some of them managed to escape their attacks, and they hit Charmander and Ralts directly. Then, Phantump appeared behind them again, and he hit Ralts yet again, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Levy asked, concerned. He just took two hard hits back to back, and he still has some injuries from earlier.

Slowly and shakily, Ralts stood back up, determined to continue. Charmander is in a similar condition as Ralts, but not as bad, since the attacks weren't super effective against him.

While Ralts is still struggling to stand up, Emelia saw the perfect opportunity to strike. "Phantump, use **Will-O-Wisp** on Ralts." she ordered.

Wisps of purple fire surrounded Phantump's body, before flying out to hit Ralts. The fire hit Ralts, but at first, it didn't do anything. However, soon enough, Ralts was burnt by the fire, causing him to stumble back to the ground.

"Ralts!" Levy called out in worry.

"Will-O-Wisp inflicts the burn status on any Pokemon that it hits. However, since Charmander is a Fire-type, it would have no affect against him." Emelia explained.

Levy rushed over to Ralts' side to make sure that he was alright, but she found him unconscious, making her feel sad for letting this happen, again. Although, she is happy that he was able to last for long against two tough opponents. He gave it his all, and that is good enough for Levy.

"Ralts is unable to battle." Lowell announced, much to his disappointment. He noticed Levy's face when she saw him unconscious. He knows that she doesn't like to see Ralts hurt, and it makes him sad to see her like that. Still, Ralts did well. After a good rest, he should be fine.

Levy returned Ralts to his Pokeball, before going back to where Natsu was. "Do you think you can defeat her, by yourself?" she asked.

He pounded his fist against his chest, giving her a toothy smile. "You can't count on us!" he declared, Charmander nodding his head in agreement. He then turned back to the battle, and he was about to give Charmander and order, but he noticed something wrong with Phantump. Much like Ralts, Phantump was engulfed in fire, causing some damage. However, this confused him, since he wasn't hit by a fire attack. "What's up with Phantump?" he asked.

Greninja smiled as his answered. "It was Ralts' Synchronize ability. When he was burned, Phantump also got burned. He may have went down, but not without helping out one last time." he said.

Hearing this made Levy smile as she looked down at Ralts' Pokeball. Because of him, they will be able to win.

"It doesn't matter. We are still going to win this. Phantump, use **Shadow Ball**!" Emelia ordered.

Phantump launched a Shadow Ball at Charmander, but afterwards, he was damaged by the burn, again. Charmander moved to the side, avoiding the incoming attack.

"Now, finish things up with **Ember**!" Natsu ordered.

Charmander took another deep breath, sending another barrage of flame pellets towards Phantump. They rained down on the Ghost/Grass-type, causing a small explosion that sent him flying back a little bit. The smoke cleared, revealing Phantump on the ground, unconscious.

"Phantump is unable to battle! Since Charmander is still standing, the victory goes to Natsu and Levy!" Lowell announced.

Charmander ran over to Natsu and jumped in his trainer's arms. "Good job, buddy! We won our first ever Pokemon battle!"

"That was fun!" Charmander said. "Can we do that again?" he asked, making Natsu laugh.

"He actually did it!" Happy cheered excitedly.

"I'll admit, Flame Brain did pretty good." he commented.

"Gray, your clothes." Lucy informed him.

Gray looked down, realizing that he was only in his underwear. "Where the hell did my clothes go?!"

Emelia returned Phantump to his Pokeball, and she and her grandfather walked up to Natsu and Levy.

"That was a good battle. We haven't had a challenge like that, in a while." Ryder said.

Emelia nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. I thought that we were actually going to win. I guess that, just because you are new trainers, that doesn't mean that you are weak." she said, looking at Levy. "I am sorry if we were a little too tough against Ralts." she apologized.

Levy shook her head, giving her a smile. "It's alright. I knew that Ralts was going to get hurt. It is a battle, after all. I may not like it, but it is the only way for him to get stronger, and I will support him, all the way." she said, making those around her smile.

Lowell and the others walked towards them. "I must admit, I was rather impressed with that move you pulled, Natsu." Lowell said. "I wasn't expecting you to do something like that."

"We are awesome, aren't we?" Natsu asked cockily, looking down at Charmander. "Although, we couldn't have done it without Levy and Ralts. I will admit, that we did act a little recklessly, at first." he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, but you learned fairly quickly, and you managed to win the battle. This was definitely good experience for all of you. If you continue to train like this in the future, then there is no doubt that you will improve."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Why don't we go inside, so that we can take care of the Pokémon's injuries." he suggested.

* * *

After treating their injuries, the Pokemon continued to rest. When Ralts found out that they won the battle, he got so excited, that he jumped straight into Levy's arms, almost forgetting about his injuries.

Lowell and his Pokemon trained for a little while. Although, they had to hold back a lot, otherwise they would have ended up destroying part of the farm. Still, it was enough to keep their skills from getting rusty.

Afterwards, Levy helped Lowell with his magic training for a bit, while the others went and explored the farm. Noctowl decided to watch them while they trained, because he became quite interested in magic, once he heard about it. He watched with intrigue as Lowell tried to write something using magic letters, which failed almost immediately.

It frustrates Lowell, a little. The Pokemon are getting stronger, but he is still having trouble with learning magic. Of course, he has only started learning magic recently, and he can't expect to master it right away, but he can't help but feel discouraged, failing time and time again. Although, he won't get anywhere, if he doesn't keep trying.

After another hour of this, Levy decided that it was time for them end their training, for the day. The sun is starting to go down, and they will be training hard again, tomorrow. They need to get some rest, before then.

"Don't let it bother you, so much. You are at least making progress." she said, seeing his frustration. "In fact, I am surprised that you are already working on Solid Script magic. You learned to control your magic pretty quickly. I have no doubt that you will get the hang of it, soon." she said, trying to reassure him.

He sighed, standing up. "I know. I just want to be able to help, instead of just watching my Pokemon battle for me. We still don't know why Ishgar became a part of Earth, to begin with, and I have a feeling that once we start getting closer to finding the answer, that it will be important that I can fight, like everyone else." he explained. Hand-to-hand skills can only go so far. If he is going to stand up against possible enemies in the future, then he needs to be able to use magic.

"I agree. It never hurts to be overprepared." Greninja responded.

Noctowl nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. However, it is important not to stress yourself out, too much. You always make it your priority to fix any problem in front of you. Although, you often disregard your own well-being. You need to take things slowly. I am sure that everything will work out, in the end." he advised.

Lowell sighed. "You are probably right. I guess I am just thinking too much into everything." he responded.

"It is because you haven't been napping enough, lately." Greninja responded, making Levy giggle. "Normally, you spend most of the day, after training, sleeping. However, lately, you have been constantly travelling, and you haven't been getting as much sleep. So, I suggest that you get a good night's sleep, so that you are well-rested for tomorrow."

Lowell can't deny that. Though he hasn't said anything, these past two weeks have drained him physically and mentally. He isn't used to dealing with such complicated affairs, such as getting the arrangements made for the shipments and the tournament, not to mention dealing with his feelings towards Levy. He also didn't wake up early, this morning, because he wanted to be awake for when they landed. He was awake, because he was having trouble sleeping.

"I see your point." Lowell responded. "There is always tomorrow, to train. Like you said, I am pretty tired, so I have no issues with getting some rest." he said.

After leaving the room, he went to the bathroom to take a quick shower, and then he went to the room that Ryder was letting him use. He had enough rooms for everyone to get their own, so that means that he doesn't have to worry about Natsu's snoring, tonight. He lied down on the bed, and he almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **AN: I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! I apologize for it being a little later than usual. I was having a hard time focusing on writing, especially on Friday, when it SNOWED in Louisiana. I have only seen snow twice in my life, so I couldn't help myself, and I played in the snow for a couple of hours. Although, that still doesn't excuse that I slacked off when it came to writing, and I am disappointed in myself for that. Still, I got this chapter done, and now I can focus on the next thing on my agenda.**

 **The next thing that I upload won't be a chapter of The Pokémon Representative. I will be starting a bran new fanfiction, which will be an OCxJenny Realight fanfiction. It is an underrated pairing, and I want to give it a chance. I will still be continuing The Pokémon Representative, but I will be alternating new chapters between the two stories.**

 **With that said and done, I hope that you all have a fantastic day!**


	14. Chapter 14

Over the course of the next two days, Lowell and the others continued training, preparing for when Fearow and the rest of the flock would show their faces. After having a couple more double-battles, Natsu has learned to keep his eagerness in check…mostly. There are still times when he gets a little too eager and ends up losing focus. Although, that is just who Natsu is. Lowell doubts that will ever change, which isn't a bad thing. Not everyone does things the same, and Natsu is beginning to show that he has what it takes to become a trainer, despite his lack of focus.

Levy and Ralts have improved, as well. While they aren't as strong as Natsu and Charmander, they have gotten better with their strategizing, and Levy has been able to gain more confidence when it comes to battling. Though, she still sometimes hesitates, when she sees Ralts getting hurt. However, despite her hesitation, Noctowl has taken an interest in Levy.

The Owl Pokémon's wing has begun to heal quicker, and he decided to watch the practice battles the new trainers have been participating in. After watching them for a while, Noctowl admits that Natsu has decent potential. However, he believes that Natsu is too reckless, and he tends to not think before acting.

Levy, on the other hand, thinks before she acts, and with a push she can be just as determined as Natsu. Except for her nervousness, she reminds Noctowl of Lowell, when he was just starting out as a trainer. Of course, she is much friendlier and open to others than he was, but both of them value knowledge and strategy, over raw strength. There is more to being a trainer than power alone, which is what makes him believe she will someday become a very successful trainer, just like Lowell.

Behind the house where they have been training, Charmander unleashed another Ember attack on a stray rock. However, when the flames made contact with the rock, they barely chipped the hard stone. Natsu let out an angry growl.

"Man! Why isn't it as strong as they were, when we were battling Ryder and Emelia?" he asked angrily, remembering his first double-battle against them. The last Ember Charmander used in that battle was stronger than normal, but so far, they haven't been able to recreate that power. It is making him mad, and Charmander isn't happy about it, either.

"If I knew, then you wouldn't have to ask!" Charmander yelled back at his partner, before attempting to scorch the rock, yet again.

Meanwhile, Ralts is using his Confusion on a nearby rock, trying to increase his control over his psychic power. So far, it is going better than Natsu's training. Levy looked back at the fiery duo, a contemplative expression on her face.

"Maybe it is something that you can only do, when you are in a real battle." Levy suggested.

Noctowl nodded his head at this. "In a way, you are correct. However, that isn't completely true." he said, gaining Natsu's attention.

The pink-haired dragon slayer raised a brow at the Owl Pokemon. "Are you saying that you know what made Charmander's fire stronger, that time?" he asked, receiving another nod.

"Yes. It had something to do with Charmander's ability, Blaze." Noctowl answered.

"Blaze?" Levy asked, not remembering Lowell mention that ability, before.

Lowell stood up, no longer leaning against the back of the house. He quickly brushed off some dirt from his pants, before explaining. "Blaze is an ability that boosts a Pokémon's fire-type attacks when at low health. It is an ability that Natsu's Charmander and my Charizard share. So, when you were fighting against Ryder and Emelia, they did enough damage to get Charmander into Blaze range, which caused Ember's power to increase." Lowell explained.

A big, toothy grin appeared on his face. "Oh. So, then all we have to do to make him as strong as before is to get him in Blaze range? That shouldn't be too difficult." Natsu said, with a confident smirk.

Natsu's declaration made Lowell sigh. "Natsu, you can't always rely on Blaze range. Not only would you be purposefully getting Charmander hurt, which isn't right, whatsoever, but it can also be very dangerous."

"I understand that it is wrong, and that it would increase Charmander's chances of losing a battle." Levy said. "Although, what I don't understand, is why you said it can be dangerous."

"To put it simply, Charmander is lucky that his body was able to manage the power he gained through Blaze's activation." Noctowl replied, causing the mages to look at him with confusion. "There have been several cases, where a Pokemon has been unable to contain the power given to them by Blaze, and it caused them to lose control, often attacking their own trainers. In a tough spot, Blaze and similar abilities can come in handy, but relying on them isn't a smart way to battle." he explained.

Levy placed a finger on her chin in thought. "So, in a way, it is like how Natsu eats fire to power himself up. However, Charmander grows stronger, without regaining any of his stamina, and anything other than his fire-type moves are amplified."

Noctowl looked at Levy with a tilted head. He has seen Natsu eat fire before, but even so, hearing someone say it out loud is still crazy. "You mages are pretty strange." he commented.

"Nope. Just Natsu." Gray called out. Everyone turned around to see Gray and Lucy walking towards them, with Ryder, Emelia, Phantump, and Happy close behind them.

Seeing the smug look on Gray's face, Natsu glared at him. "How about you shut up and go put a shirt on, ya' stripper!" he yelled.

Gray looked down, realizing that his shirt was, like usual, missing. "Ah crap!" he yelled, before running off, in search of his lost shirt.

Greninja sighed, standing up from underneath a nearby tree and walking towards them. "They just don't learn, do they?" he asked, rhetorically. He and everyone else already knows the answer to that question.

"Like I said before, you mages are quite strange." Noctowl commented.

Lucy looked over at Lowell. "Speaking of magic, how has your Solid Script magic training been going?" she asked.

Lowell looked down, letting out a tired sigh. "I'm getting closer, but I still haven't been able to create a single word, yet. I have succeeded in making a letter or two, but they always dissipate, after a couple of seconds." he answered. He isn't going to give up, of course. He is making significant progress.

"Don't worry, Lowell. You are getting better. It takes time to learn any form of magic. As long as you keep working on it, you'll get it down." Levy assured.

Emelia nodded her head in agreement and gave him a small smile. "Yeah. Besides, I think it is pretty great that you are even trying to learn to use magic. While the concept does sound pretty cool, I personally don't think I would be able to do it." she said.

Natsu shook his head and laughed. "Nonsense. Anyone can learn how to use magic, even on Earth. At least, that is what Levy and the others have said."

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. Ethernano has now become a part of Earth, which means that, if you work hard enough, then it would be possible to learn how to use it."

"Sure, but I'll leave the magic to all of you." Emelia responded. "I'm fine with being a berry farmer, and with training Phantump."

Ryder nodded his head in agreement. "At my old age, I have no interest in learning to use such mystical powers. I am content, with how things are now. Though, I commend you for trying to learn, Lowell." he said with a slight chuckle.

Suddenly, Charmander appeared in front of the group, his hands eagerly clenched into fists. "So, when do you think the flock is going to get here?" he asked excitedly. "I'm ready to show them who they are dealing with!"

Ryder chuckled at the young Pokémon's eagerness. "Well, it is hard to tell, really. They haven't shown up in the past couple of days, which means that it is going to be sooner, rather than later. It is only a matter of time, before they show their faces." he answered.

Letting out a small hum, Lowell put his hand to his chin in thought. This action caused Levy to look at him. "Is everything alright?" she asked, concerned.

He shrugged his shoulders in response, still deep in thought. "I am just trying to figure out the reason why the flock has been acting like this, recently. Like Ryder and Emelia said, the flock used to protect the berry farm from Bug-type Pokemon. It is strange, that all of a sudden they decided to attack the farm and eat all the berries, instead." he explained. He is having trouble understanding their motives. He looked towards Ryder. "Do you know if the flock originates from around here, or if they move from place to place?" he asked.

"They aren't from any forest nearby, no." Noctowl answered instead. "From what I gathered when I was fighting with Fearow, who acts as their leader, they come from further north in the Kalos Region. However, when they stumbled upon the farm, they saw it as an opportunity to gain access to a larger food source." he explained.

"Why didn't you say this, before?" Emelia asked the Owl Pokemon, who just shrugged his shoulders as a response.

"Honestly, I didn't find it all that important. It isn't like they are going to stop, just because we know their reasoning behind it." he explained.

"That may be, but there could be another reason for why the flock is doing this. Perhaps they lost their last food source." Levy suggested.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "Possibly. That could be the case, or they might just be doing this, on a whim. After all, if they don't stay in one place for very long, I doubt that they have one definite source of food. However, when stumbling upon the farm, they probably couldn't help themselves. Hopefully, we will be able to find out, once they get here."

Natsu's ears perked up, and he looked in a direction past the farmhouse. His eyes slightly widened at what he saw. "Um…guys, I think that will be sooner, rather than later." he said.

The others turned around to see what Natsu was talking about, and their eyes widened when they saw the large, brown-feathered group flying towards them. Several moments later, their beating wings and caws could be heard to the rest of the group. Natsu heard them before the others, because of his enhanced dragon hearing.

Seeing that there isn't much time left, Lowell turned to face the others. "Alright. Do you guys remember the plan?" he asked.

The others nodded. "Split up, and separate the flock. By spreading out, we should be able to prevent causing any serious damage to the farm." Levy answered, turning to face Natsu. "Which means that you and Charmander need to try not to burn everything to the ground." she said seriously.

"I'd worry about Natsu doing that, more so than me." Charmander responded with a small chuckle, making Natsu glare down at his partner.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" he yelled at the Lizard Pokemon.

Charmander shrugged his shoulders and smirked at his dragon slaying partner. "I am, but let's face the truth. You are bound to burn down at least half of the farm. I don't think I could cause that much destruction, even if I tried."

Before the partners could take their little argument any further, they were immediately silenced by Gardevoir appearing from her Pokeball. Natsu paled a bit, before taking off in a sprint to another part of the farm, quickly followed by Charmander.

"Hey, wait for me!" Happy yelled, jumping off of Lucy's shoulder and flying towards his best friend.

Gardevoir sighed, before turning to face Lowell. "I would suggest Stunfisk and I lending a hand in this battle, considering that we both have access to Electric-type attacks." she suggested, receiving a nod in return.

Soon enough, Lowell let Stunfisk out his Pokeball, causing him to land on the ground beside Gardevoir. "So, I get to zap something?" he asked happily.

Lowell sighed, placing a hand over his forehead. "Yes, Stunfisk. Just don't take things too far. We don't want to injure them so badly, where they won't be able to fly away, afterwards." he said, hoping that his friend wouldn't use too much power against the weaker Flying-type Pokemon.

The Trap Pokemon nodded his head in understanding. "Of course. I'm not Charizard or Dragonite." he responded, receiving a small chuckle from his trainer.

* * *

As the seconds ticked by, the cawing from the flock became louder and louder. Soon enough, they were above the farm, and some of the Spearow started to dive down, probably aiming for the berries. However, a loud yell could be heard, and then a powerful fire breath attack went flying for the flock, forcing the Flying-types to scatter to avoid getting hit. The attack was soon followed up by a barrage of flame pellets, curtesy of Ember.

Lowell and the others looked to the side, seeing both Natsu and Charmander letting off their fire attacks on their targets. Happy is flying with Charmander in his grasp, while Natsu is attacking from the ground. Soon enough, some of the flock began to fly towards Natsu, abandoning their previous objective.

Lowell turned to face the others. "Well, he certainly has the right idea. Split up, and try to draw some of the flock's attention." he ordered, receiving nods from the others, before they ran off.

Soon enough, the only ones left in the training area were Lowell, Levy, their Pokemon, and Noctowl. In the distance, they saw attacks aimed for the flock, causing more and more of the flock to separate and fly towards the others.

"Well, it worked." Greninja said, looking at the group headed straight towards them. Among that group is Fearow, who is sending them a glare from above. "It looks like we will be dealing with the boss."

Suddenly, Noctowl took off, heading straight towards Fearow. This action surprised the others, as well as worry them. His wing is almost completely healed, but he is in no shape to be fighting Fearow, by himself. He didn't win the fight before, and he won't win the fight, now.

"What are you doing?!" Levy called out to him.

"It is my duty to help protect the farm! I failed once already, and I do not plan on failing again!" he yelled back, without turning away from his objective. His glare met the glare and confidently cocky smirk of Fearow. "You may have bested me the last time, but I won't allow that to transpire once again!" he yelled, flying towards Fearow at a breakneck speed.

Fearow increased his speed, as well, intending to meet Noctowl halfway. "You should've retired after the last battle we had, old-timer!" the Beak Pokemon yelled back, getting ready to show Noctowl that he was wrong to pick another fight with him.

* * *

Several Spearow surrounded Natsu, attempting to strike him from all sides at once. However, he dodged each of their attacks, before backing up. He raised his arms, and flames began to gather on his arms.

"You're all just a bunch of birds! There is no way in hell that I am losing to you!" he declared, swinging his arms forward. " **Fire Dragon's Wing Attack**!" The Spearow were engulfed in an intense stream of fire, burning them and sending them flying away. Natsu then looked up, giving the Flying-type Pokemon a harsh glare.

"If you want to trouble this farm any more, then you are going to have to get through us!" he announced. He looked above him, seeing Happy and Charmander still airborne. "Charmander, use **Ember**!" he ordered.

The Lizard Pokemon did a mock salute, with a grin similar to Natsu's on his face. "I'm gonna make it rain!" he declared. Taking a deep breath, he unleased a barrage of fiery pellets from his mouth, raining down upon the Spearow below. Some of them were hit, while others managed to avoid the attack. The ones that avoided his attack changed their course and began to head straight for Charmander and Happy.

"Uh oh! They are coming right for us!" Happy yelled, a little frightened.

"Just get me in close." Charmander said. Happy reluctantly followed Charmander's instructions, and he sped up to get the Lizard Pokemon closer to the incoming Flying-types.

Down below, Natsu knocked away a Spearow with his Fire Dragon's Iron Fist, before looking up at his friends. "Charmander, use **Smokescreen**! Happy, you are going to have to get away quickly, after that!" he yelled.

"I'm not sure I like this plan." Happy said, a little worried. He doesn't know for sure what Natsu has planned, but after seeing what happened during his first battle with Emelia and Ryder, he has a pretty good idea of what Natsu is thinking, and he really doesn't want to get caught in the middle of it.

"Just do what he says, and we'll be fine." Charmander said, letting loose a thick smokescreen on the remaining Spearow. As soon as the Spearow were covered by the Smokescreen, Happy flew away from them as fast as possible. He then looked down to see Natsu craning his head upwards. "I almost feel bad for them." Charmander stated, with a slight cringe.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " Natsu's powerful breath attack soared through the air, making contact with the Smokescreen. Almost as soon as the fire connected with the smoke, a large explosion shook the air, causing intense airwaves to push Happy and Charmander back a bit. It took a little bit, but once the smoke finally cleared, it revealed several Spearow falling to the ground, their feathers charred from the explosion.

Natsu turned his attention back to the Spearow trying to attack him, and he recognized the fear in their eyes, making him smirk a bit. He cracked his knuckles, making them flinch and look at him in shock.

"So, who's next?" he asked with a big, toothy grin.

* * *

On the other side of the farm, Gray, Emelia, and Phantump are fighting off another group of Spearow. Emelia and Phantump are injuring and distracting the Spearow, while Gray finishes them with his Ice-Maker magic.

Phantump narrowly dodged a Peck attack from his left, causing him to fly right in front of another Spearow. Its body was glowing white as it charged at the Ghost/Grass-type at an incredible speed, indicating that it is using Aerial Ace.

"Phantump, use **Confusion** to stop it in its tracks!" Emelia ordered.

"With pleasure." Phantump said as his eyes began to glow blue. Suddenly, the Spearow was stopped, and his body began to glow blue, as well.

"Now, Gray!" Emelia yelled.

Gray nodded his head and put his hands together, an icy aura forming in his open palm. "On it!" he called back. " **Ice Make: Lance!** " His spell sent icy lances flying towards the incapacitated Spearow. Upon impact, the Spearow let out a cry of pain and went falling to the ground, as well as several Spearow who were caught in the crossfire while attempting to free their friend. Afterwards, Gray moved to join up with Emelia.

"Thanks for the save." she said, keeping an eye on the remaining Spearow.

"No problem." he responded.

Suddenly, Emelia then sweat-dropped. "Though…I would like to know why you aren't wearing a shirt…again." she said, questioning the half-naked boy standing beside her with a small blush on her face.

He sighed. "Forget about that for now." he said, sending more icy lances towards an incoming Spearow. Although, the Spearow dodged, and it grazed Gray's left shoulder with its Peck attack. "For such small enemies, they sure have a temper." he muttered.

Emelia nodded her head in agreement, upon seeing Phantump get knocked back by a Peck attack, as well. "Yeah. Spearow are easily angered. They aren't very powerful, but they do make up for their lack of power by their temper, and their sheer numbers." she stated. Despite Gray's ice being super effective against the Spearow, it doesn't mean anything, if they just end up dodging and slowly overwhelming them with their numbers. However, Gray isn't going to let a bunch of birds take him down.

He smirked, bringing his hands together once more. "Let's see how they deal with this." he said, creating an icy cannon that he held with both hands. " **Ice Make: Cannon!** " he yelled, launching massive balls of snow at the Spearow, knocking them out of the sky one by one.

While he was doing this, one of the Spearow got up from the ground, and it was trying to attack him from behind. However, it was stopped by Phantump suddenly appearing in its path.

" **Feint Attack!** " The Spearow was knocked away by Phantump, who was surrounded by a dark energy. He turned back to Gray, giving him a smile. "I've got your back." he said.

Gray nodded his head, keeping his attention on the remaining Flying-type Pokemon. "Yeah. Now, let's wrap this up! We don't want to keep the others waiting, for too long." he said before going back to fighting.

* * *

Arrows and explosive seeds went soaring into the sky, curtesy of Pansage and one of Lucy's spirits, Sagittarius. The spirit appears as a man dressed in a horse costume, wielding a bow and arrows. Despite his silly appearance, his arrows hit their marks, not failing to send the Spearow falling to the ground. However, he is aiming for their wings, so that he doesn't injure them too badly.

Of course, with how fast the Spearow are moving, it is difficult to keep up with so many of them, and Sagittarius was struck from several sides at once. After using Aerial Ace, the Spearow flew back into the sky, and continued to circle around the group below.

Lucy looked at her spirit with worry. "Sagittarius, are you alright?" she asked.

The zodiac gave her a small salute. "Yes, miss. However, I am afraid that I must return to the Celestial Spirit World at once." he said before disappearing and returning to the spirit world.

Lucy sighed, before taking out another golden key. "Fine. I open the **Gate of the Lion: Leo!** "

Leo, also known as Loke, appeared beside Lucy in a black suit and tie. "What can I do for you, Lucy?" he asked, a little flirtatiously.

Lucy sighed, taking out her fleuve d'étoiles. "Just help us defeat these Spearow." she said, using her whip to hit a Spearow that was about to attack her from behind.

Leo nodded his head in understanding, and he let his fists glow in a golden light, before taking off at some of the Spearow. "It would be my pleasure!" he announced, punching one of the Tiny Bird Pokemon and sending it flying into a tree.

Ryder and Pansage looked in shock at the newest arrival. "So, that is another one of your…spirits?" Ryder asked. He is little surprised, to see her summoning spirits and having them fight with her, much like trainers would with their Pokemon.

"Yeah. Loke is the leader of the twelve Golden Zodiac, and he is also known as Leo the Lion. With him helping out, this shouldn't take too much longer." Lucy explained.

Pansage dodged another hit before using Crunch on it. "Good, because I am not sure how much longer I will be able to hold out." the Grass Monkey Pokemon said. He has taken a couple good hits, and Flying-type attacks are super affective against him.

Loki smirked. "Don't worry. I won't let a couple of overgrown birds get the better of me. I won't embarrass myself like that, especially in front of Lucy." he said, making Lucy sigh again.

"Stop with the flirting already, and just fight." Lucy said, before joining Loki in battle.

* * *

Using their psychic powers, Gardevoir and Ralts held the Spearow in place, while Stunfisk zapped them using his Thunderbolt. Greninja also took this as a chance to land a couple of Water Shuriken on them. However, after doing this for a little while, Ralts began to grow tired, and his Confusion let up. He had been training for a while before the Spearow and Fearow arrived, so he is already pretty exhausted.

When Ralts' Confusion failed, a couple of Spearow escaped from his grasp, and they began to head straight for the small Psychic-type. However, they were caught off-guard by Levy's Solid Script magic. She then kneeled beside her partner, making sure that he was alright.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "You haven't had a break, in a while. Maybe you should leave the rest of it to the others." she suggested. However, Ralts shook his head.

"No. I'm fine. Although, I am worried about Noctowl." he said, looking up at the two bigger Flying-type Pokemon going at it. "He isn't fully healed yet, and Fearow seems to be winning."

This made Levy frown. By the look of things above them, Fearow does have the current advantage. While Noctowl has cuts and bruises all over his body, Fearow has only a fraction of the injuries Noctowl has. If this keeps up, then he will surely lose.

"What should we do?" Levy asked no one in particular.

Quickly finishing off the rest of the Spearow in the group, Stunfisk answered. "We could try and help out, but we don't want to accidentally hit Noctowl. It wouldn't be good if one of our Electric-type attacks hit him." he responded.

"Can't you hold Fearow in place with Psychic, Gardevoir?" Greninja asked.

Gardevoir sighed, shaking her head. "No. I've already tried. They are too far away for my Psychic to reach them, and Fearow is moving too fast for me to lock onto him." she explained.

Fearow began to spin around at an incredible speed, flying straight towards Noctowl. He tried to dodge, but he his injuries are slowing him down.

" **Drill Peck!** " Fearow's beak hit Noctowl directly in the chest, sending him flying back a couple yards. However, he managed to catch himself, before he started to fall.

Fearow let out a small laugh at the old Owl Pokemon. "Face it, your body can't keep up with you, at your old age. You should just give up, before you get yourself hurt even more than you already have." he said.

Noctowl ignored this, and he flapped his wings, generating two glowing blue blades of wind towards Fearow. " **Air Slash!** "

Fearow easily dodged the two blades, before speeding towards Noctowl with his wings spread wide. His body began to glow, picking up speed as he got closer towards Noctowl.

However, Noctowl refuses to stand down. He has lived on this farm for quite some time, and he isn't going to let Fearow and his flock make a mess of it. He began to charge towards Fearow, his head glowing purple.

As the two Flying-types got closer to each other, Fearow seemed to flinch, making him stop in his tracks. However, that gave Noctowl enough time to counter attack.

" **Zen Headbutt!** " He rammed his head into Fearow's chest as hard as he could, knocking his opponent several yards away. He didn't let up, though. Fearow is open for an attack, and he isn't going to let this chance slip away.

He charged at Fearow at high speed, and he became outlined by a bright white light. If he can prevent Fearow from recovering from his last attack, then he can continue to attack, without much worry of a counter attack. " **Aerial Ace!** "

However, just as Noctowl hit Fearow, the Big Beak Pokémon's body was swapped with a small, green doll. Behind him, he could hear Fearow laughing. "Nice try, old-timer. You almost got me, but I bet you weren't expecting me to have that up my sleeve." he said tiredly. Despite avoiding the hit, using **Substitute** did take a big tole on his body. However, he isn't too worried, about that.

His body was surrounded by mini feathers, before the feathers disappeared, and his body glowed white. When he finally stopped glowing, his body was void of most of his injuries, curtesy of **Roost**. Noctowl looked at the younger Pokemon in shock. He managed to outsmart him, as well as heal all the damage that he had just taken.

"Now, it is time to finish you off!" Fearow announced with a smirk, flying towards Noctowl at high speed. His body began to spin again, indicating Drill Peck. Noctowl tried to move, but he was too slow, and he was hit once again by the powerful Flying-type attack. Noctowl went crashing into the ground below, not very far away from Levy and the others.

Seeing Noctowl take such a heavy fall, Levy was the first one to run to him, wanting to make sure that the older Pokemon was alright. Ralts followed her, as well, worried that Fearow would strike while Noctowl was down.

Levy arrived at Noctowl's side, and she frowned at the condition he was in. He was battered and bloody, and it seemed like the injury his wing suffered from his last fight with Fearow is re-opened. She wants to help him, but she isn't quite sure what to do. She doesn't know how to take care of such injuries.

"You don't need to worry so much about me." Noctowl said weakly, catching Levy and Ralts by surprise. The Owl Pokemon tried to stand up, with little success.

"Don't push yourself so hard." Levy said. "I don't know what you were thinking, rushing in like that. That is something that Natsu would do."

Noctowl sighed. He normally doesn't act so hastily, but he wanted to show that disrespectful Fearow that he wouldn't take him and his flock messing with the farm so lightly. He took it upon himself to become the protector of the farm, when he first arrived. It doesn't matter if he gets hurt. He just wants to do what is best for the farm.

Suddenly, feathers surrounded his body, before disappearing and causing his body to glow white, much like Fearow just had. Roost managed to heal a lot of his wounds, giving him the strength to keep fighting. He may not be completely healed, but it should do, for now.

He attempted to fly back into the battle, but Levy stopped him before he could. He looked down at her, wondering why she stopped him. "I need to defeat Fearow." he said, trying to convince her to let him go.

For a moment, she was silent. However, after a couple seconds passed, she decided to speak. "Not by yourself, you're not." she said, shocking him, as well as Ralts. "Something was made clear to me when I started training alongside Ralts. In a Pokemon battle, you aren't alone. You have a partner to back you up, no matter what. However, that is also something that being a part of Fairy Tail has taught me. No matter how much you want to do something alone, we are stronger together, than we are separate."

Lowell and the other Pokemon overheard this, making them smile. It seems as though she has already become a pretty great trainer, as well as a spectacular Fairy Tail mage. Though experience is still needed, she has the right mindset.

Noctowl's look of shock changed to one of determination, before he nodded his head at the blue-haired girl. "Alright, then. Let us work together, to stop Fearow and protect the farm."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Of course. Let's show the oversized bird what teamwork can do." she said.

Fearow looked down at the trainers and their Pokemon with a disgusted look on his face. "What makes you think that just because you are helping him, that he will fare any better than the last two times?" he asked.

Levy glared up at the Big Beak Pokemon, not intimidated by him in the slightest. "Because, it isn't just the two of us." she said, looking over at Lowell and the others. "What we lack, our friends will make up for." she said, before turning back to face Noctowl. "Are you ready?" she asked, receiving a nod of the head as confirmation. "Alright, then. Let's kick things off with an **Air Slash!** "

Noctowl flew back into the air, flapping his wings and creating several more blades of wind that went flying towards Fearow. This time, however, instead of dodging, Fearow went straight through the blades using Aerial Ace, as he continued to make his way towards the Owl Pokemon.

However, as Fearow was about halfway to reaching Noctowl, he was hit by a glowing pink sphere of energy, which exploded upon impact. Levy looked for the source of the attack, and she noticed Gardevoir with her arms raised above her head. She had used **Moonblast** to stop Fearow's attack.

The smoke around Fearow cleared up, revealing his angry glare. "That isn't enough to stop me-!" he was forced to maneuver out of the way of a lightning bolt created by Stunfisk's Thunderbolt. Glaring down at the Pokemon, Fearow changed his target from Noctowl to Stunfisk, however, he dropped his guard long enough to allow Noctowl to get another hit in.

" **Aerial Ace!** " Levy ordered. Noctowl sped towards an unsuspecting Fearow, who looked back just as he was hit in the chest, causing him to crash to the ground.

A cloud of dust surrounded Fearow, who simply flapped his long wings to clear it away. Fearow let out a low caw out of anger. He can't believe that he is being humiliated, after he was just wiping the floor with the old geezer. Yet, now that his friends are joining in, he doesn't stand a chance.

He tried to heal himself using Roost, but he was zapped by a lightning spell, creating using Solid Script Magic. However, this surprised the others, since it wasn't Levy who cast the spell. They turned to see Lowell, holding his hand out, and trying to catch his breath.

He noticed the shock on their faces, and he gave them a tired grin. "Well I…thought that it was…worth a shot." he said in between breaths. It wasn't perfect, or very powerful, but it was enough to catch Fearow off-guard and stop him from healing himself.

Fearow looked at the Pokemon and mages for a moment, before deciding that it wasn't worth the trouble that it would cost him to continue the fight. He flapped his wings, kicking up a small dust cloud that blinded the others, momentarily. He used that as his chance to escape.

Noctowl quickly cleared the dust away with his wings, noticing that Fearow was getting away. "Noctowl, stop him with **Hypnosis**." Levy ordered.

Noctowl flew to catch up with Fearow, however, before he could get a chance to use Hypnosis on him, he was cut off by several Spearow, who were attempting to catch up with their leader. They must've saw him leaving, which was their cue to leave, as well.

Despite being injured, they would still be able to put up somewhat of a fight, so Noctowl didn't pursue them anymore. However, Fearow did take a brief look back, to yell something at Noctowl.

"I'll leave this stupid farm alone, but the next time we meet, things are going to be different!" he called out to Noctowl, before turning back to leave followed by the rest of his flock.

After the flock finally left, Noctowl returned to the ground, panting a little. Even though he healed himself, he is still badly injured, and the fight tired him out. "I'm sorry. I wasn't able to stop them." he apologized.

Levy smiled and patted his head, shaking her head. "You tried, at least. That's all that matters." she responded.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Plus, we were able to drive him and the rest of the flock off. After what just happened, I doubt that they will come back here, in fear that something similar would happen again."

"Hey, are you guys okay?!" a familiar voice called out. The group turned around, to see the other mages, Emelia, and Ryder returning. Although, Leo has already returned to the spirit world.

When the others got closer, they saw how beat up Noctowl was, and they noticed how tired Lowell was. "Is everything alright?" Ryder asked, concerned.

Lowell nodded his head. "Yeah. Noctowl is in bad shape, but with some berries and some rest, he should be alright. I, on the other hand, am just tired. I managed to pull off a Solid Script spell to stop Fearow from healing himself, but it took a lot of my magic power and energy for just that one spell." he explained.

The others looked at him in shock, but then they smiled at him, happy that he was able to successfully perform his first spell. It will still take a while for him to improve on it, but he has just taken another big step towards becoming a real mage.

However, Lowell's bubble was soon burst when Natsu appeared right in front of him, raring to go. "Alright! Now that you can finally use magic, you and I have to fight!" he yelled, much to Lowell's annoyance. However, much to Lowell's pleasure, Greninja walked up to Natsu and punched him in the face, sending him flying a couple yards back.

"How about we all take a chance to rest, before Natsu starts causing another scene." Greninja suggested, to which everyone agreed with.

* * *

For the rest of the day, the group spent their time recuperating, as well as discussing what happened to everyone else. Noctowl is feeling much better now, though it will take a couple of days before he is fully recovered, and Lowell is feeling better, as well. He just needed time to regain the magic that he had used earlier.

However, then something happened that no one was really expecting. It happened after everyone ate dinner, and they were just sitting around and talking. Noctowl came from upstairs, and he asked Levy if he would be his trainer. Of course, Levy wasn't expecting this, whatsoever. Yes, she commanded him during the battle against Fearow, but that doesn't mean that she should be his trainer.

"What about the farm?" Levy asked.

"You don't need to worry about that." Ryder said, catching the attention of everyone else. "He told me about his decision, before dinner. I don't think that it would be such a bad idea. With Fearow and his flock gone, the farm is in no real danger, and besides, having Noctowl come with you could be beneficial for you, as well as Noctowl." he explained.

Noctowl nodded his head in agreement. "Though I have knowledge that could prove useful to you and your friends, I don't have much experience with teamwork. I feel like that will change, if I go with you. And while I could choose anyone to be my trainer, I don't think I would trust anyone other than you with that task. After all, we have already battled together." he explained.

Though she wasn't expecting this, Levy can't say that she is upset about his decision. She has begun to take a liking to Noctowl, and she would like him to accompany her back to Fiore, so that she can get to know him, better.

Already knowing Levy's choice, he smiled, and he handed her an unused Pokeball. She took it without hesitation, and she held it out towards Noctowl. Noctowl reached his neck forward and pecked the button with his beak, causing himself to be surrounded by a red light and be called into the Pokeball. The ball shook for a few seconds, before finally stopping, signaling that Noctowl was caught.

Levy lifted the Pokeball up to look closer at it, and she smiled. "It looks like we are going to continue to learn from each other, Noctowl."

* * *

 **AN: Well, that's the end of this chapter! I hope that you all enjoyed it. Noctowl is now the newest member of Levy's team, and as the group continues forward, their next stop is Laverre City to speak with the president of the Pokeball Factory. Also, this chapter also means that the Kalos arc will soon be coming to a close. As of now, there is only one chapter left before the gang will start heading back to Fiore, however, I may include another one. It all depends on how I am feeling, after I finish the next chapter of this story.**

 **However, it may be a little while before the next chapter is posted, for this story, at least. About a week ago, I posted the first chapter for The Brother's Legacy. I will be updating that story next, which should be happening sometime around this Friday, or possibly Saturday, depending on how busy I am. Though, I will definitely be getting it posted before Christmas, because I am planning on spending my Christmas relaxing, and not worrying about college or writing.**

 **Anyways, with all of that rambling over with, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a review, so that I can hear your thoughts on the chapter. Like always, have a wonderful day!**


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning, Lowell and the others were ready to leave, however, not before Ryder and Emelia saw them off. Like he promised, Ryder said that he would be willing to contribute in the berry shipments, as well as to talk to other berry farmers that he knew would be willing to help. Lowell thanked the older man, and he was prepared to get on the helicopter, when Emelia handed him a bag.

When Lowell looked inside the bag, he saw a wide variety of freshly picked berries. Emelia had woken up early that morning to pick them. She said that it was a thank you from her and Phantump for helping the farm. The others were grateful, but they all agreed that it wasn't necessary, to which Emelia just shrugged off and told them to take the berries, anyways. They didn't want to be rude by turning down her thanks, so they accepted the berries with graciousness before getting on the helicopter and heading for their final destination before their time in Kalos comes to an end.

It took them a little longer to get to Laverre City than to Camphrier Town, but that is because it was a further trip. It took them just over two days to get to Laverre City, taking small stops along the way to refuel the helicopter and eat. However, when they finally reached their destination, they were surprised by the natural beauty of the city.

Unlike the crowded streets and high-tech buildings in Lumiose, Laverre has a much more charming and relaxing appeal to it. The leaves on the tree are a mix of brown and orange, due to the fall season, and a gentle, cool breeze brushed past them. Many of the buildings look older, and some have a green moss growing on the rooves and walls. Still, they are in very good condition, and the moss only adds to the natural beauty of the city.

"This is way different than Lumiose City." Lucy commented, taking in their new surroundings.

Gray nodded his head in agreement, liking this new city. It is bigger than Camphrier Town, but it has a similar charm to the smaller town. "It's pretty calm, which is also quite a change from what we are used to." he said, referencing their brawls at the guild hall.

"Some things never change though." Happy commented, making Gray raise his brow in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

Lucy sighed. "Gray…your clothes."

"Huh?" he looked down, noticing his shirt, as well as his pants are missing, leaving him in only his underwear. "Ah crap!" he yelled, starting his search for his missing clothes. This earned several strange looks from the citizens of Laverre, but when they noticed the group's reaction to Gray's stripping habit, they continued to go about their normal business. They assumed that this was a normal occurrence.

Natsu laughed at Gray. "There he goes again. One of these days he is going to get arrested for public nudity." he said.

Levy giggled in response, but she still raised a brow at Natsu. "We could say the same thing about your destructive behavior."

This made Natsu look at Levy with a funny pout on his face. "Ah, come on! That isn't fair!" he complained. "I didn't destroy anything on the farm, remember?" he asked.

A small snort could be heard from Greninja, who is currently walking side by side with his trainer, who are both keeping ahead the rest of the group to guide the way. "I wouldn't be so sure about that." he responded with a small smirk. "I think I remember Ryder mentioning something about a couple of tress being scorched in several places, and some were already burned to the ground, being nothing but a pile of ash. Are you trying to say that someone else was responsible for that?"

The others looked at Natsu with a deadpan expression on their faces, causing him to sweat and smile sheepishly. "Well, um…Charmander got a little out of hand." he said, resulting in a blue flash to reveal the Lizard Pokemon standing in front of him, an angry frown on his face.

"Not cool, Natsu! You know as well as I do that it was you who did that!" he yelled at his trainer. "Don't you remember punching that one Spearow into a tree, while it was covered in your flames?" he asked.

"No fair! That wasn't my fault! That bird is the one who attacked me! I was only defending myself!" he defended, making Lucy and the others sweat-drop.

"He does realize that he just admitted to burning down one of the trees, right?" she whispered to Levy, who just shrugged her shoulders and kept walking.

"I doubt it. Though, I can't say that is really a surprise to any of us, at this point." Levy replied. After knowing Natsu for years, his careless and excited personality is very much clear to her. Though, he wouldn't be the same goofball, without that side of him.

Lowell sighed as he kept walking. "How about we just keep heading towards the Pokeball factory." he suggested, tired of hearing Natsu and the Fire-type bickering behind him. "It is clear to everyone that it was Natsu is caused the damage. Honestly, I would be surprised if he didn't. He doesn't exactly have a calm nature. He has more of an adamant or rash nature."

The Ninja Pokemon couldn't help but stifle a small chuckle after hearing Lowell's attempts at a joke. Though, when comparing Natsu's personality to a Pokémon's nature, Greninja could see Natsu being Adamant or Rash.

As they continued to walk through the streets, they came upon a large tree in the middle of the city. It is tall enough to tower over most of the other buildings in the city, and there is even a house-like building built into the tree. Although, Lowell knows that it isn't a normal house, and the sign in front of the building only further proves that.

"It's been a while since we have come to the Laverre City gym." Lowell said, looking up at the building.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Perhaps we should pay Valerie a small visit. We missed out on visiting Clemont, so it would be nice to see Valerie." he reasoned.

Levy and the others looked at the gym in shock. They were expecting a gym to be something more than just a building in a tree. The gym in Lumiose was at the top of Prism Tower, so they were expecting something more impressive.

"This is a gym?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah. It doesn't seem like much." Natsu responded, disappointed.

"Not every gym has to look exciting." Lowell said, catching their attention. "That isn't what is important. What is really important is the battle had between the gym leader and the trainer. Many underestimate Valerie because of her only battling using Fairy-type Pokemon, and because of her odd choice of dress, but she is a lot tougher than one would expect." he said, remembering his own battle with her. If it wasn't for Crobat, then he would've lost that battle.

Suddenly, Natsu looked at the gym with a determined fire in his eyes. "If she is so strong, then I am going to challenge her to a battle." he said, making the others look at him like he was crazy.

"Are you serious, flame brain?" Gray asked. "What makes you think you could defeat a gym leader? You've only got one Pokemon, and you don't have much experience, either."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Gray is right. While it would be good experience, neither of us would stand a chance against her." she said. She then looked back at Lowell. "Although, I would like to meet her. Ralts is part Fairy-type. Maybe she could give us some advice."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders as a response. "That's fine. I want to talk with her, anyways. There is something that I need to ask her." he responded.

"What is it?" Lucy asked, raising a brow.

This made Lowell shake his head, and he gave the others a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It isn't anything important. It is a personal question that I have for her." he explained.

However, after hearing that, Levy couldn't help but feel worried. _"Personal?"_ she thought. Could there be something between the two of them? Just thinking about that possibility makes Levy feel disheartened, but she isn't going to let it show on her face. There isn't any proof of that being the case, and she isn't going to freak out, in case it is some sort of misunderstanding.

The group walked up to the door of the gym, and when Lowell tried to open it, it was locked. This made him frown a little, as he backed away from the door, letting out a small sigh. "Well, I guess that she isn't in the gym right now, otherwise the door would be unlocked. I guess we can just come back later, after we meet with the president of the Pokeball factory." he said.

No one argued with that plan. They are still here for a reason, and they need to get that done, before anything else. "Does the president even know that you are coming?" Gray asked. He knows that Lowell said he is an old friend of the president, because he helped him years ago, but he doubts that he would appreciate Lowell and the rest of the group just walking in, without any word in advance.

Lowell waved off the black-haired mage's concern. "Relax. Diantha informed him, ahead of time. So, he is already expecting us. While I am speaking with him, you can take a tour of the Pokeball factory. It should be interesting, especially since you won't have any criminals ruining the experience for you." he said, a small scowl forming on his lips. He remembered the first time he ever went to the Pokeball factory. He definitely wasn't expecting to have to save it from a group of crazy criminals, but he was more than happy to help.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Lucy asked, a little concerned. When Lowell and Greninja both nodded their heads, Lucy sighed. "You must always be getting into some sort of trouble." she responded, receiving a shrug of their shoulders in response.

"I wouldn't say that it is our fault. Trouble seems to have a way of finding us, not the other way around." Lowell responded calmly. "We just choose not to run away from danger when it finds us, and that gives us the opportunity to help others."

"Besides, it just makes things easier. If we are going to be getting into all sorts of trouble, then it saves us a lot of time and effort, by coming to us." Greninja added, making the others sweat-drop.

"Anything to get out of doing extra work, huh?" Lucy responded.

The trainer and his Pokemon shrugged their shoulders once more before continuing towards the Pokeball factory. Not long after, the others continued to follow behind them.

Gray crossed his arms over his chest as they walked. "Hopefully this bad luck magnet of theirs doesn't bring more trouble to us." he said, not realizing that he has already lost his shirt…again.

"Gray…" Levy said, waiting for the Ice-make mage to realize his state of dress.

The black-haired teen raised a brow at Levy, before seeing her gesture towards his chest. He looked down, and his eyes widened in surprise when he realized his shirt was missing, yet again. "Oh, come on! I just found that thing!" he yelled in frustration, making the girls giggle.

"Should we wait for him to find his shirt?" Happy asked, watching Gray walk up to strangers, asking them if he could borrow their shirt. Of course, this ended up in him getting slapped by several people.

"Nah." Lucy said, waving it off. "I'm sure he'll catch up eventually."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. We can see the top of the factory from here, so it won't be hard for him to find us. Knowing him, it will probably take him a while to find his shirt, and I don't think Lowell or Greninja plan on stopping and waiting for him to catch up." she replied.

"You're not wrong." Lowell called back. "That stripper either needs to keep a closer eye on his clothes, or he needs to invest in some duct tape to keep them from coming off."

Lowell's comment made Natsu laugh loudly, and Charmander let a small chuckle escape his mouth, as well. Although, they weren't safe, either.

"Why are you laughing, Natsu?" Greninja asked with a blank look on his face. "After all, you may not have Gray's stripping habit, but you've got plenty of your own bad habits."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Being loud and obnoxious." Greninja responded, making Natsu stomp his foot in complaint.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he asked angrily. "I am not loud an obnoxious!" he yelled, making the others sweat-drop.

"Yet again, you just prove their point." Lucy commented.

Levy sighed, as she watched Natsu continue to yell at Greninja, although, the Water-type just ignored it. However, a certain someone began to get a little irritated, and she came out of her Pokeball, making Natsu back away and try to hide behind Lucy in fright.

"Save me, Lucy!" he yelled, staring at what everyone could call Erza 2.0.

Seeing the angry look on Gardevoir's face, Lucy began to panic as she tried to get Natsu away from her. "You idiot! I'm net getting caught in the middle of her rage!" she yelled at the pink-haired Dragon Slayer, trying to push him away from her.

Levy caught up with Lowell and Greninja, briefly glancing back to see Natsu being dealt a punishment by Gardevoir, with Lucy, unfortunately getting caught in the middle of it. Charmander and Happy are both laughing, but staying a good enough distance away so that neither of them get punished, either.

"I know that she doesn't tolerate the foolishness, but…I've never seen her this mad before." Levy said, a little afraid of Gardevoir, right now.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders, knowing that Natsu deserved it. Though, he does feel bad for Lucy getting caught up in it. "She was probably taking a nap, and Natsu's yelling probably woke her up. You don't want to be around Gardevoir when she is woken up before she is ready to get up." he explained, remembering when Charizard and Dragonite had woken Gardevoir up with one of their fights. Their screams could be heard throughout the forest, that day, much like how Natsu and Lucy are screaming, right now.

"Remind me never to make Gardevoir mad like that, then." Levy said, a little disturbed with how violent Gardevoir is, all of a sudden.

"Don't worry. You don't irritate her, so I doubt she would punish you like she is punishing Natsu." Lowell responded. He also wouldn't let Gardevoir do that to Levy, but he isn't going to say that out loud.

As the group continued their way to the Pokeball factory, the people around them couldn't help but raise a brow at them. They have no idea what is going on, but they would not question it, seeing how angry Gardevoir is. So, they chose to ignore it the best they could, despite the screams that could be heard from Natsu and Lucy.

* * *

Eventually, the entire group made it to the Pokeball factory, including a Gray with his shirt on, as well as a scarred Lucy and Natsu. Both of them are staring straight forward, not even blinking. Although, Levy is trying her best to comfort her best friend, while Charmander and Happy are attempting to snap Natsu out of his daze.

"Wow. Gardevoir definitely did a number on them." Greninja said, a little surprised. He has seen Gardevoir mad, before, but he isn't sure if he has ever seen her _that_ mad, before.

Thankfully, Gardevoir returned to her Pokeball after she finished punishing Natsu, but it would be smart for them to keep him quiet for a while. They wouldn't want a repeat of what happened, not even half an hour ago.

Despite not seeing what happened, the result was enough to frighten Gray. Knowing that he isn't on Gardevoir's good side, he is trying to stay as well-behaved as possible, to avoid a punishment as bad as that one.

As they got closer to the doors of the Pokeball factory, Lowell noticed a couple of guards standing watch. He isn't surprised, though. After what happened with Team Flare, years ago, the president decided to up his security, to avoid something like that from happening, again.

The guards noticed them coming, and one of them stepped forward to stop them. "Excuse me, sir, but this is a restricted area for the public." he said.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding. "I am aware of that. My name is Lowell Falkov, and I am here to speak with the president of the Pokeball factory." he said, making the guards' eyes widen.

"We are going to need some sort of I.D." the other guard said.

Without any hesitation, Lowell handed the guard his Trainer I.D. After looking at it for a moment and confirming his identity, the guard handed him his I.D. back, which he placed back into his pocket.

"I apologize for that, Mr. Falkov, but we are trying to be more cautious, after what happened with Team Flare." the first guard said, to which Lowell responded with a shake of his head.

"Don't worry about that. I was here when that happened, so I agree that more security is needed." Lowell responded. "So, if you don't mind, I would like to speak with the president, now. He should already be expecting me."

The guard nodded his head. "Yes, he is. If you would follow me, then I can show you to his office." he said, which Lowell and the others did.

The other guard stayed by the entrance, while his co-worker led Lowell and his friends through the factory. Upon walking into the giant factory, Levy was surprised with the amount of conveyor belts and storage containers that covered the place. She watched as sets of mechanical arms put together Pokeballs by combining the lids and bases, and then placed them on the conveyor belts to be sent into the storage crates.

"Everything appears to be automated." Levy commented, still watching the machines at work.

Greninja nodded his head in confirmation. "Yes. There are some who make Pokeballs by hand, but this way is much quicker and more efficient. The flow of the conveyor belts are controlled by a switch in a corner of the factory. Although, that also means that if something goes wrong with the switch or one of the conveyor belts, then it would mess up the overall flow of the process, which is why it is important to have technicians ready, at all times." Greninja explained.

The guard nodded his head in confirmation, a small smile forming on his lips. He is surprised to hear yet another Pokemon talk, but he is also amazed by the knowledge that he contains about the factory. "Yes. Although, with this process, we produce a lot more than just regular Pokeballs. We also produce Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Dive Balls, etc." he added.

Natsu tilted his head in confusion. "There is more than just one type of Pokeball?" he asked.

Lowell nodded his head. "Of course. Each type has its own use. For example, a Great Ball has a slightly higher chance of catching a Pokemon than a regular Pokeball does, but Ultra Balls are even better than Great Balls. Dive Balls make it easier to catch a Pokemon in the water, and Quick Balls are more effective, the sooner you use one in a battle." Lowell explained. "Though, there are many more types of Pokeballs than just that. That was just a brief explanation of some of the different types of Pokeballs and what they can do."

"That is pretty impressive." Lucy commented, to which Gray nodded his head in agreement.

"It sounds like there are a lot of things that a trainer has to keep in mind." he said. First there was type advantages, abilities, berries and other held items, and now there are natures and different Pokeballs. He isn't sure how Lowell or other trainers are able to remember it all.

"It sounds too complicated for me." Happy said, glad that he isn't a trainer. It would be too much for him to handle. He will gladly stick to eating fish and flying Natsu around with his wings.

Lowell chuckled. "It definitely isn't easy, when you first start off. It takes a while to learn everything there is to know, but that just makes it even more satisfying, once you become an experienced trainer. Not only will you benefit from everything you learn, but you are also able to teach what you know to new trainers." he explained, looking back at Levy and Natsu. "Everything I've taught you; I've learned it, during my travels."

The group walked up a set of stairs, letting them reach the president's office. The guard bid the group a good day before returning to his post, not wanting to leave his co-worker by himself, for too long.

Lowell took a step forward and knocked on the door. There was a moment of silence, before he heard a man call for them to come in. He opened the door, revealing the president sitting behind his desk, looking down at a few papers.

The president is a middle-aged man with short, neatly combed blonde hair, wearing a white suit. He looked up from his papers and smiled upon seeing Lowell. "Ah, Lowell and Greninja. It has been a while since the last time we've met. Diantha already gave me a basic rundown of everything going on over the phone." he said, letting his eyes examine the mages behind Lowell and Greninja. "I still find it hard to believe that magic actually exists, though it definitely does explain why my employees' Pokemon suddenly began to talk." he said with a light chuckle.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "I know how you feel. I didn't truly believe it, until I saw it with my own eyes. Though, once you begin to learn to use it for yourself, it is pretty interesting." he said, creating a small block of wood using his Solid Script Magic. The president's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting Lowell to use magic. When the block of wood disappeared, Lowell panted a little, still not being completely used to using so much magic at once. Though, Levy gave him a look of reassurance, seeing as though he is getting better at it.

The president cleared his throat, as he straightened out his tie. "Well, that is certainly something." he responded. "Anyways, let's get down to business, shall we?" he suggested, folding his hands one over the other, on top of his desk.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding, ready to get this over with. "Alright, then." he said, looking towards the mages. "Maybe an employee on their break wouldn't mind giving you a little tour, while we take care of things here." he suggested. Although, the president shook his head.

"That isn't necessary. This won't take very long." he said, catching Lowell's attention. "Once I heard the situation, I already decided that I was going to help. Think of it as a way to say thank you, for helping out, years ago." he said with a smile.

Lowell smiled back, thankful for his old friend's graciousness. "It is very much appreciated." he responded.

"Think nothing of it." the president said. "Once trade routes are set up between Ishgar and Kalos, I will help provide Pokeballs for the country, at least until they can set up their own Pokeball factories. This will be a good way to help out the country until they can provide Pokeballs for themselves, as well as a way to make some sort of profit, for ourselves. It is a win-win." he explained his reasons.

"Wow. I didn't think that it would be that easy." Lucy said to herself.

Gray nodded his head. "Yeah. When he met with Diantha, they were talking for a couple of hours."

"Well, Lowell did say that he and the president were on good terms. We shouldn't be surprised, that he was willing to help." Levy responded.

Natsu just shrugged his shoulders. "With that done, we are just one step closer to having this tournament happen." he said with a big grin on his face. He is just looking forward to getting a chance to prove how strong he and Charmander are.

However, the president wasn't done speaking. "Although, there is something that I would like to ask of you, while you are still in the city." he said, catching the group's attention.

"What would that be?" Lowell asked. If they can help, then it is the least that they can do, considering that he is willing to help them so quickly.

"Well, there has been a wild Klefki causing trouble for the people of Laverre City. It has been sneaking into people's homes and stealing their keys, as well as taking keys from people in broad daylight. I know that it is the Pokémon's nature, but it has been causing quite a stir, lately." he explained.

"Klefki?" Levy asked, curious as to what type of Pokemon it was.

Lowell took out his Pokedex, and he held it out in front of Levy and the others for them to see. After a moment, the picture of a silver, keyring-like Pokemon appeared on the screen. Several keys can be seen dangling from it.

 ** _"_** ** _Klefki: The Key Ring Pokemon. Klefki never lets go of a key that it likes, so people give it the keys to vaults and safes as a way to prevent crime."_** the Pokedex said.

"That sounds like it can be both helpful, and annoying." Gray commented.

The president nodded his head in agreement. "It is. Although, as far as we know, Klefki doesn't really have much of a reason for taking the keys. It is simply collecting keys, because that is what it does. Normally, it wouldn't be too much of an issue, but it has also taken the key to one of our vaults. We can get another one made, but it might take some time, and we also just don't feel comfortable with having more than one key to the vault, in case anyone ever gets their hands on the other one." he explained.

"So, you want us to find Klefki, and to get you the key to the vault back?" Greninja summed up, with his hand on his chin.

"Pretty much. Valerie has been looking for the Klefki, hoping to reason with it, but she hasn't been having much luck, unfortunately." the president continued.

Lowell sighed. That would explain why she wasn't in the gym when they stopped by. Though, he would still like to talk to her before he leaves the city, so this just means that he has more of a reason to look for Klefki. "Alright. We'll help you." Lowell answered, much to the president's delight. "So, do you have any idea where Klefki might strike next?" Lowell asked.

The president hummed in thought for a moment, remembering all the houses and stores that Klefki snuck into. "Well, most of the complaints have come from people living in the northern half of the city, so you might find it there. Although, many people often see it retreating towards the swamp, so that might possibly be where it lives." he explained, receiving a nod from the others.

"Alright, then! We've got a Pokemon to find!" Natsu declared, lighting one of his fists on fire, greatly shocking the president. However, Lucy punched him in the head, hoping for him to behave. She doesn't want a repeat of what happened with Gardevoir, earlier. The mere thought of getting caught in another one of her punishments sends a shiver down her spine.

"We don't need you destroying everything and making things worse." she said sternly, while Natsu rubbed his sore head.

Gray crossed his arms over his chest. "So, what is the plan? How do we search for this Klefki?" he asked.

Lowell had to think for a moment. There is no guarantee that Klefki will be in any certain place. If they all stick together, then there would be less of a chance that they would run into it. "It would make more sense to split up. We all know what Klefki looks like, now, so if we split up, there is a better chance that one of us will find it." he suggested.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "It seems like the best idea, to me." he responded.

* * *

After some deliberation, they decided to split up into small groups. Lowell, Greninja, and Levy make up one group. Lucy and Gray make up another group, and Natsu, Happy, and Charmander make up the last group. Although, that is mainly because he ran off before they could say anything, which didn't surprise them. Lowell and the others agreed to meet back at the gym after a while, to figure out their progress.

Lucy and Gray went to the northern half of the city, while Lowell, Levy, and Greninja checked out the southern half of the city. However, Natsu took a different approach, and he headed for the swamp.

As Natsu and his partners explored the swamp, Happy couldn't help but feel like they were looking in the wrong spot. "Are you sure that Klefki would still be here?" he asked, doubtfully. Wouldn't it be in the city, trying to find more keys to add to its collection? Besides, even if it was in the swamp, they have no idea where to begin looking. Searching without any help will just end up getting them lost.

However, Natsu just waved it off, not seeing any fault in his way of thinking. "Nah. It probably had to drop off some of its keys, so that they wouldn't weigh it down. Since it keeps coming back to the swamp, all we need to look for is a bunch of keys." he explained.

Charmander nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Surely, it can't carry all of them at once, if it has been stealing a lot of them." he responded.

"Yeah, but didn't that Pokedex thing say that Klefki never lets go of a key that it likes?" Happy asked, trying to be the voice of reason, since no one else was around to do so.

"Maybe it didn't like some of the keys?" Natsu suggested.

Happy was about to respond, when he suddenly bumped into something hanging from one of the trees. It is a green, plant-like creature with a big mouth and sharp teeth, and leaves for arms, and vines on the lower half of its body.

After being bumped into, the Carnivine glared down at the blue Exceed and his companions. One look at the Bug Catcher Pokemon was enough to make him freak out, whereas Natsu just calmly walked up to it.

"Hey, you haven't seen a floating keyring around here, have you?" he asked, causing the Carnivine to give him a blank look.

Suddenly, the Carnivine leaped down from the tree and caught Natsu's head in its mouth, causing the dragon slayer to run around, trying to pry it off his head.

"I'll take that as a no." Charmander deadpanned.

"Get this thing off of me!" Natsu yelled, running around like a madman while Happy was trying to pull Carnivine off Natsu's head. Charmander watched for a moment before sighing and running to help his trainer.

"This is going to take a while." the Lizard Pokemon muttered underneath his breath.

* * *

With Lowell, Levy, and Greninja, they are walking around the southern half of the city. So far, they haven't found any sign of Klefki's whereabouts. Although, they have spoken to several people, and many of them have had run ins with the Key Ring Pokemon, in the past week, or so. Still, none of them knew anything that would help give them any lead on the Pokémon's location.

Levy just got done asking a married couple if they had seen the Klefki, not getting any better results. She returned to where Lowell and Greninja were waiting, giving them a shake of her head.

"Nothing new." she sighed, taking another look around the streets. "It seems like everyone is aware of Klefki, which is no surprise, but no one knows where it is."

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Hopefully Noctowl and Crobat will have better luck, searching from above." he responded. Not long after the group split up, Lowell and Levy called out Noctowl and Crobat to help with the search, hoping that an aerial view would come up with something.

Lowell sighed. "Well, we should keep looking. Standing around won't get us anywhere." he said, walking back into the streets with Levy and Greninja following right behind him.

As they walked, Levy couldn't help but think back to what Lowell said when he mentioned Valerie. She has tried to tell herself that it wasn't anything she should worry about, but she didn't like the fact that Lowell said he had a "personal question" for her. For all she knows, they could've had some sort of relationship in the past.

Levy internally sighed. She shouldn't be getting jealous, like this. She hasn't even told Lowell how she felt about him, yet. If there really is something between the two of them, then it isn't like she could stop them. She isn't going to ruin one relationship, just because of her feelings. Though, she still can't help but feel a little mad at the thought of him dating Valerie.

Hoping to calm her busy mind, she decided to ask him about her. "So, you and Valerie are friends, I'm assuming?" she asked. Greninja looked at her, aware of what she was doing, and he couldn't help but let out an amused scoff.

Lowell raised a brow at her, but he still answered. "I guess you could say that." he responded, not making her feel much better. "We met a couple years ago, when I was taking on the gyms in Kalos. Despite her job as a fashion designer, as well as her being a former model, she was a very tough challenge. My only Pokemon with any real advantage over hers at the time was Crobat, and Stunfisk had been caught, not long before the battle. Still, we managed to win after a lot of effort, and then I continued on my journey." he explained. "I guess we were on good terms with each other, when I left the city, so you could call us friends."

After hearing that she used to be a model, Levy couldn't help but feel disheartened. How could she compare to someone like that? Not only is Valerie a strong trainer, but she is also probably very beautiful. The more that she learns about the gym leader, the more she feels her chances with Lowell getting slimmer.

Lowell noticed the small frown on her face, and he got worried. "Are you alright?" he asked.

She looked up at him, and seeing the worry on his face, she forced a fake smile onto her lips. "Don't worry. I'm fine. I am just wondering when we will find Klefki." she lied.

Despite her saying that, Lowell could tell that wasn't all there was to it. Though, he decided to just take her word for it and move on. "I'm sure that we'll find it, soon. We just need to keep looking." he said.

Almost as if on cue, an explosion could be heard in the distance. Lowell noticed dust rising from the northern section of the city, and soon enough, Noctowl and Crobat came flying back to them.

"What happened?" Lowell asked.

"It is near Gray and Lucy. They found Klefki." Crobat answered.

"Can you take us to them?" Levy asked.

Noctowl nodded his head and turned back around. "Follow us." he said, and the five of them began to make their way to where Gray and Lucy are.

* * *

Just moments before the explosion, Gray and Lucy were walking the northern streets of the city. They were having just about as much luck as the others. It didn't help that Gray would randomly strip his shirt or pants off, and they would have to spend time looking for them.

"This search is going anywhere." Gray complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lucy sighed. "Well, maybe if we wouldn't have to look for your clothes every two minutes, we would've made more progress, by now." she suggested, irritated.

"Hey, it isn't my fault. I don't do it on purpose. It just happens." he defended himself, though, it didn't do much to make Lucy any less irritated. "Do you think the others are having any better luck than us?" he asked, hopeful.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "Let's hope so, otherwise me may be at this all day." she responded.

As they continued to search for Klefki, they didn't notice the pair of eyes watching them from behind a tree. Although, they were mainly concentrated on Lucy, more specifically, the loop of keys dangling from her belt. However, the figure behind the tree noticed the ten Golden Zodiac keys.

"Pretty keys." a quiet voice said, before the figure moved away from the tree it was hiding behind.

"Maybe we should just head back to the gym. Maybe someone else has found someth- "Lucy was cut off, when something brushed past her waste. She looked down, and she began to panic when she realized that her Gates Keys were missing. She looked up, and she saw a floating keyring trying to escape.

"That's Klefki!" Lucy yelled at Gray. "And it got my Gate Keys."

The two mages began to run after the Key Ring Pokemon, but it is getting away fast. Seeing that she was being pursued, Klefki turned around and let out a high-pitched screech.

" **Metal Sound!** "

Gray and Lucy had to cover their ears to drown out that loud, ear-splitting sound, which gave Klefki a chance to continue fleeing. However, Gray wasn't going to let her get away so easily. He removed his hands from his ears and brought them together, generating an icy aura around his hands.

" **Ice Make: Cage!** "

Klefki was utterly shocked, when she looked up and saw a cage made out of ice fall on top of her. With a loud slam, the cage fell to the ground, trapping Klefki in place. This made Gray smirk.

"Not getting away now, are you?" he asked cockily.

However, Klefki has other plans in store. Instead of just floating there and letting herself stay captured, a ball of silver energy formed in front of her mouth, and she fired a beam of metallic energy at the cage holding her captive.

" **Mirror Shot!** "

The steel-type attack continued after breaking the icy cage, and it hit the street, causing a large explosion that stirred up a cloud of dust around them. Gray and Lucy coughed after inhaling some of the dust, as they tried to cover their eyes.

After the dust settled, they looked around, only to see Klefki getting away again. They were about to chase after it, seeing as though it is heading into the swamp, however, they noticed the looks that people were giving them. It took a moment, but Gray finally realized that he had used magic in front of everyone, which Lowell had advised that they didn't do.

"Ah crap." he muttered, seeing the crowd look at him with surprise, as well as fear. They didn't think that it was possible for a human to be capable of doing such a thing, and yet, here Gray was, making ice appear out of nowhere. "This isn't good." he said to Lucy.

"You think?" she asked sarcastically, weary of the looks everyone was giving them. They need to go after Klefki, but there is still the crowd of people to worry about. "Man, I was expecting Natsu to be the one to blow the secret." Lucy said.

"I couldn't agree more." the familiar voice of Lowell said. Everyone's attention was drawn towards Lowell, Levy, and their Pokemon. Lowell ignored them for a moment, looking directly at Gray and Lucy. "We'll take care of things here. You should go after Klefki. By the looks of things, it stole your keys, and I don't think your spirits will be happy." he said, making Lucy pale at the thought of Aquarius getting angry at her.

"Alright. We'll meet back near the gym, later. Sorry for messing up like that." Gray said, before turning to Lucy. "Let's get going." he said, and she nodded her head in agreement.

The two began to run off, but an older man in the crowd tried to stop them. "Where do you think you freaks are going?!" he asked, trying to get in between them. However, he was stopped by a beam of pink light hitting the ground in front of him, making him back up a little. Once the dust cleared, he saw a Sylveon standing in front of him.

Despite the dire circumstances, Levy pulled out her Pokedex, curious as to what Pokemon that was. A picture of the white and pink dog-like Pokemon with ribbons appeared on the Pokedex's screen.

 ** _"_** ** _Sylveon: The Intertwining Pokemon. Sylveon wraps its ribbonlike feelers around its Trainer's arm because this touch enables it to read its Trainer's feelings."_** the Pokedex said.

Levy then took noticed of the person standing behind the Sylveon, who she can only assume is Sylveon's trainer. She is a woman with long, black hair that reaches below her waist. She also has two bangs on either side of her head. Her eyes are a sparkling gray, and she is wearing a very colorful dress, with large wings where her arms should be, a corset, a skirt matching the same pattern as her wings, and a pair of long, black leggings. Her appearance stunned Levy. It is a little much, but she is still very beautiful.

The old man looked at the trainer and Pokemon in shock. "G-gym Leader Valerie? What are you doing?" he asked. "That man just made ice appear out of nowhere, and that girl is with him. She probably has some sort of weird power, as well."

Levy's eyes widened in shock. _"That's Valerie?!"_ she thought. No wonder why she used to be a model. Despite her odd appearance, she is very beautiful, and she has the slim body of a model, as well.

Valerie shook her head. "I know, but that is no reason to chase after them. It is clear that they mean no harm to anyone here. They were simply trying to catch that Klefki, who has been causing trouble for the city, for quite some time." she reasoned, turning towards Gray and Lucy, who are still standing there, looking at her with wide eyes. "Now, I suggest that you go catch up with Klefki. It took something important to you, did it not?" she said, directed towards Lucy, this time.

Lucy nodded her head in understanding, before looking at Gray. "Let's hurry, before they try to stop us again." she said.

Gray nodded his head in agreement. "Right."

The two of them took off, leaving Lowell and the others behind. Now that Valerie is here, Lowell let out a small sigh of relief. "You arrived just in time, Valerie." he said.

Valerie shook her head and looked at Lowell, tilting her head to the side. "What sort of trouble have you gotten yourself stuck in, this time?" she asked. Knowing Lowell, she isn't surprised, that he is involved with people with strange powers. She just wants to know what is going on, so that she can help him calm down the citizens.

Lowell sighed. "Well, do you remember the strange weather that occurred, weeks ago, as well as how Pokemon have begun to speak our language?" he asked, receiving a nod of the head in return. "Well, long story short, that has something to do with a magical nation from another world suddenly being merged with Earth. We have no idea how or why this happened, but now that this new country is a part of Earth, magic is now a part of our world, now. Also, Diantha and I have been travelling between Fiore and Kalos, making arrangements with Fiore's king and business owners in Kalos, to help introduce Pokemon and magic to the entire world, through a tournament." Lowell explained.

The crowd and Valerie listened to his explanation with wide eyes. For a moment, everyone had difficulty processing everything he had just said. Although, Valerie was the first one to speak through the shock. "Yeah, that makes sense." she said, making those around her sweat-drop.

Levy looked at Valerie, a little weirded out. "D-did she just say that…what you just said made sense?" Levy asked Lowell, who is just standing there, like nothing strange just happened.

Lowell responded by shrugging his shoulders. "She knows I wouldn't lie about something as ridiculous sounding as that. I'm not known for joking with a straight face, after all" he replied.

"If this has been happening for weeks, then why didn't we know about it, by now?" another member of the crowd asked.

"Simple." Lowell responded. "We wanted to keep things a secret from the public, until we got everything arranged. Very soon, there is going to be a live press conference from the capital city of Fiore, where everything is explained, to everyone at once. We believed that by doing it this way, it might stop untrue rumors from spreading, or at least prevent people from panicking. Though, the last arrangements have just been made, so the press conference should be happening, in no longer than a week, from now." he explained.

"That doesn't change the fact that these people are freaks!" a woman from the crowd yelled.

Hearing them continued to use the word "freaks," Levy, Lowell, and their Pokemon frowned. It is understandable that they be scared, at first, since it isn't normal, to them, for humans to have strange powers. Although, calling them freaks? That is going a little too far.

"So, are you saying that Pokemon are freaks, as well?" Levy asked, surprising the crowd, as well as Lowell and the Pokemon. "Pokemon have strange powers, as well. Yet, you keep them as pets, or you battle with them. Pokemon are your friends. Yet, since they have mystical powers, as well, wouldn't they be classified as freaks, too, by your logic?"

Seeing the crowd begin to waver, Lowell joined in. "Yeah. Sure, it may be…different, considering that many didn't think it was possible for humans to have powers. However, even though it isn't magic, there are some trainers who have developed psychic powers, much like the gym leader, Olympia." Lowell said. "Yet, mages are freaks, simply because they use magic. Well, I've got news for all of you. It isn't just the mages from this other world that can use magic." he said, creating lightning using his Solid Script Magic. The lightning created a large flash, but it didn't harm anyone. After he used his magic, Lowell began to pant heavily.

"I am from Earth, like the rest of you. Yet, I am able to use magic, as well. Anyone can use magic, now that it has become a part of Earth. Just because you don't understand something; that doesn't make those who do freaks. If you just take some time to understand what is going on, it won't scare you, as much." he explained.

Soon enough, the crowd of people began to settle down. They are still a little uncomfortable with the idea of magic existing, but some are beginning to feel a little excited. It is like something come out of a fairy tale come true.

Seeing that the crowd has calmed down a bit, Valerie smiled. "Now, everyone, just go back to your business. Like Lowell has already said, we will all hear the full explanation, within a week. Until then, just remain patient." she said. After realizing that the gym leader isn't bothered by this, they did as she said, knowing that she probably knew best.

Once the others returned to what they were doing before Gray used his magic, Lowell and Levy called back Crobat and Noctowl, thanking them for their hard work. They then turned their attention towards the gym leader and her Sylveon.

The Fairy-type Pokemon let out a tired breath. "Well, that almost got bad." she commented, earning a nod of agreement from her trainer. "Like Valerie said, I shouldn't be surprised that you got yourself stuck in this sort of mess. It is just like you." she said, causing Lowell to shrug his shoulders.

"It isn't my fault. The professor and Diantha asked me for help, and I agreed to help them. Don't blame me for wanting to help." he responded.

Valerie smiled. "I'm not surprised. If there is someone in need, you can't help but want to aid them, however you can." she responded. However, she then looked towards Levy. "I apologize. I never properly introduced myself. My name is Valerie, and I am the gym leader of this town."

Levy shook her head, letting a small smile form on her face. "It's fine. My name is Levy McGarden. I am a member of the mages guild that Lowell joined." she introduced.

"Mages guild?" she asked, her head tilted. She took another look at Lowell, and she noticed the strange mark on his hand. "Is that what that mark is for?" she asked, receiving a nod of the head in return.

"Yes. It is Fairy Tail's emblem." Lowell responded, seeing the Fairy-type trainer's eyes sparkle even more at the word "fairy." This made him chuckle a bit. "I joined, not long after arriving in Fiore. After that, I kind of became busy, taking jobs, learning magic, and getting preparations set up for the tournament." he explained.

Valerie nodded her head in understanding. "This is definitely an interesting turn of events. So, should we go catch up with the others? They may need help."

Levy shook her head. "I'm sure they are fine. Besides, Natsu, Happy, and Charmander are still out there. I have a feeling that they are going to end up lending them a hand." she responded.

"Natsu, Happy, and Charmander?" Valerie asked.

"Friends of ours." Lowell responded. "We all agreed to meet back at the gym, later, so they will know where to meet us." he said. Although, that reminded him of something that he forgot. "Oh, right. I actually wanted to ask you something."

This interested Valerie, and it made Levy frown. "What is it?" Valerie asked.

Suddenly, Lowell got a little embarrassed, and it made Levy even more worried. He must have some sort of feelings for her.

"Well, about two or three months ago, I kind of destroyed my old phone in a training accident, and I lost most of my contacts." he said. "One of them was Kurt's number, and I don't remember it by heart. I was wondering if you could give me his number again, or at least tell me how he has been doing, lately." he said, making Levy sweat-drop.

"That was the _personal question_ that you needed to ask her?" Levy asked, a little peeved. She was worried for nothing.

He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I did say that it wasn't very important. I just figured that, since Valerie is Kurt's cousin, she would have his number." he said, a little embarrassed. As much as he hates to admit it, he can be rather clumsy, himself, though it doesn't happen very often.

Valerie giggled. "Yes, I have his number. I can give it to you, once we get back to the gym." she said. She still can't believe that Lowell would look for her, just to get his friend's phone number. That seems like a lot of effort, for such a small thing. "Also, to answer your question, he has been doing well. Although, he has been dealing with some things, lately." she continued.

This caught Lowell's interest. "What do you mean?" he asked, concerned.

"Well, I'm sure that you heard about an incident with Teams Aqua and Magma, years ago." she said, making Lowell nod his head. "Apparently, a new group has formed. They call themselves Team Tempest. I don't know much about them, other than that they have been stirring up some trouble in Hoenn, recently. Kurt has been dealing with them, and they haven't been very tough, apparently. Although, just their sudden appearance is concerning." she explained.

Lowell narrowed his eyes in thought. "When did they start becoming active?" he asked.

Valerie had a think for a moment, remembering the conversation she had with her cousin. "I believe it all started, a couple of weeks ago." she said, making Lowell frown.

" _If that is the case, then could they have something to do with the weather?"_ he thought. It is the name that made him assume that. Of course, he can't be sure, until he learns more. Still, that wouldn't explain why Ishgar appeared on Earth. He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Well, I guess I am going to have to talk to him later, then. Though, that can wait, until after the others get back." he said.

The others nodded their heads in agreement, and they walked back to the gym, together. Although, Levy is still a little bothered, by the fact that she had gotten so jealous, when there was no reason to. Just thinking about it made her face grow a little red from embarrassment.

* * *

In the swamp, Klefki made sure that Gray and Lucy weren't behind her, when she arrived at her hideout. She went over to a tree, which has a rock lying in front of it. Klefki quickly pushed aside the rock, revealing a hole in the trunk of the tree. Inside the hole in the tree, there are dozens of keys, all of them in perfect condition.

Klefki smiled at her large collection, eager to add Lucy's keys to it. "I'm gonna take good care of you." she said happily, looking down at Lucy's gate keys. She may steal keys from people, but that doesn't mean that she is going to let them get damaged or rusty.

She was about to add Lucy's keys with the others, when suddenly, a stream of fire hit her from behind, knocking her into the side of the tree. The impact made her drop Lucy's keyring. When she looked up, she noticed an enraged dragon slayer staring at her, with Happy and Charmander not far behind.

"I knew I was gonna find you in the swamp!" he yelled, making Happy and Charmander deadpan.

"You just guessed, and happened to get lucky." Happy responded.

Natsu quickly turned back to Happy, sending him a child-like pout. "Shut up, Happy!" he yelled, turning back to Klefki. He then noticed Lucy's keys on the ground, and it took him a moment to put two and two together. "Wait, you stole Lucy's keys?!" he asked angrily.

Charmander sighed. "Is he always this dense?" he asked Happy, receiving a nod of the head from the blue exceed.

"They were so shiny! I just couldn't resist!" Klefki declared.

Natsu suppressed a small growl at the Key Ring Pokemon. "Well, those keys are important to Lucy, so there is no way in hell that I am letting you keep them!" he yelled, going to grab the keys. However, Klefki wasn't going to let go of the newest additions to her collection, just yet.

She disappeared, making Natsu confused for a moment. However, he remembers something similar happening with Phantump. Suddenly, Klefki appeared behind Natsu in the form of a dark shadow.

" **Foul Play!** " She grabbed onto Natsu, throwing him into the ground.

However, Natsu rolled on his back, taking a knee. "Charmander, use **Ember!** " he commanded.

Charmander sent a barrage of fiery pellets at the Fairy/Steel-type Pokemon, making Klefki dodge. She already took a decent amount of damage from Natsu's fire. If she is hit with another Fire-type attack, it wouldn't be very good for her.

"Happy, go get Lucy's keys, while Klefki is distracted with Charmander." Natsu ordered, which Happy did without hesitation.

"Aye, sir!" Happy responded, swooping down with his wings to pick up the keys.

Still, dodging Charmander's attacks, Klefki turned towards Happy. A pink energy began to sparkle in front of her, and she fired a pink beam of energy towards Happy.

" **Dazzling Gleam!** "

Happy quickly changed his course, dodging the Dazzling Gleam, making the Fairy-type attack hit the ground. Klefki attempted to reclaim Lucy's keyring, but Natsu knocked her away with a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist, causing her to slump to the ground, against the trunk of her storage tree. Happy used this as his chance to grab Lucy's keys and fly back to Natsu.

Suddenly, Natsu heard someone shouting. When he turned around, he saw Gray and Lucy running towards him. Natsu smirked. "It's about time you guys showed up." he said.

"Where the hell did you go, you idiot?!" Gray asked.

"I had a feeling that I would find Klefki in the swamp, so I've been searching. It seems that it worked, too." he said proudly.

"We chased it here from the city." Lucy responded, making Natsu frown a bit. She then noticed that Happy had her keys, and she smiled. "You got my gate keys back." she said happily, taking her keys back from Happy. She then turned to face Klefki, who is looking away from everyone.

Lucy went to go closer to the fallen Fairy/Steel-type, and she noticed all of the keys hidden in the trunk of the tree. She was surprised to see how good of a condition all the keys were in. "You really care about keys, don't you?" Lucy said.

Klefki nodded her head, looking at the Celestial Spirit Mage. "Yeah. I never meant to cause trouble. I just like to collect pretty keys, and your keys are the prettiest that I've ever seen." she responded, making Lucy smile a bit.

"Well, they are very special to me, so it is only natural that I would take good care of them." she answered. She took another look at Klefki. She didn't really intend to cause trouble. To her, she was just collecting keys. She didn't realize how much trouble she was causing for people. After a moment of thought, she spoke again. "From what we heard from the Pokedex earlier, it is very hard to take a key from a Klefki. As long as you don't run away with them again, would you be willing to keep my keys safe?"

The others couldn't believe what they were hearing. Klefki had just stolen Lucy's keys, and she is going to forgive her, just like that? "You've gotta be kidding me?!" Natsu yelled.

Lucy shook her head. "Keys mean a lot to you, and these keys are very important to me. Although, they often get lost in the heat of battle." she said, smiling at the Key Ring Pokemon. "First, you need to return all the keys that you've stolen to their owners. However, after that, how would you like to come with me?"

Klefki just looked at Lucy in shock, for a moment. After stealing something important to her, she was still willing to let her join her on her travels? She wasn't expecting to be shown such kindness. Of course, this means that she will have to give up her collection, but maybe keeping Lucy's keys safe would mean much more than just having a big collection.

Having already decided, Klefki smiled back at Lucy. "You won't have to worry about losing them with me around!" she declared happily. "I'll return the other keys, and then I'll join you and your friends. Surely I will be of some use."

Despite being against it before, Natsu laughed and pointed a finger at Gray. "It looks like you are the only one of us that doesn't have a Pokemon of his own, yet!" he yelled. "I guess that just means that we are all better than you, ya' stripper!"

"Shut up, flame breath!" Gray retorted.

While the two mages were fighting, Lucy and Klefki got to work gathering all the keys together. Klefki can't carry them all, herself, so Lucy will, of course, help her get all of them back to their owners. It is going to be a hassle, but she can't help but smile, now knowing what it feels like to make a connection with a Pokémon.

* * *

Lucy and the others met up with Lowell and Levy at the gym, and they were surprised to see that Lucy befriended Klefki. All of them got to work returning the keys to the people of Laverre City, which took several hours. Although, they managed to get it done, ending with the key belonging to the president of the Pokeball factory. Klefki apologized to the president, and he forgave the Key Ring Pokemon, seeing as though she returned all the keys she had taken. He even gave Lucy a Pokeball, so that she could properly catch Klefki.

After meeting with the president of the Pokeball factory, they returned to the gym with Valerie, because she said that there were some spare rooms that they could use, for the night. Once in the gym, Lowell explained everything that had happened to Natsu and the others, seeing as though they missed a majority of what happened, after Gray used his magic.

"Wait. The friend you mentioned that got drunk is Valerie's cousin?!" Natsu asked, shocked.

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "After everything else they tell you, that is what you react to?" she asked, sweat-dropping. Klefki floated next to Lucy, resulting in Lucy's key jingling. After Lucy caught Klefki, she got rid of her old keyring, and now Klefki is holding onto Lucy's keys.

"He seems to be very dense." Klefki responded, to which Lucy couldn't agree with more.

"I messed up, didn't I?" Gray said, still upset with himself for forgetting about the secret.

"It's alright, Gray. Most of the preparations are done, which means that once we get back to Fiore, the press conference will be held relatively soon. Everyone will know about it, soon enough, so it isn't that big of a deal." Lowell said. He then turned to face Valerie. "Although, things could've gotten a lot worse, if you hadn't shown up when you did."

Valerie shook her head. "I just did what I felt was right. You've protected Kalos from destruction before, so I knew that you would have an explanation for what was going on." she responded. She smiled. "That, and Kurt would've gotten mad with me, if I didn't help you." she said, giggling.

Lowell nodded his head in agreeance. He and Kurt only travelled together for a few months, and they actually met in Laverre City, when Lowell challenged Valerie. It happened not long after Kurt was visiting from Hoenn. Still, they became rather good friends, and they tried to stay in touch, even after Kurt returned to Hoenn.

"So, what is your plan, from here?" Valerie asked. "Are you going to stay for another day, or do you need to return to…Fiore?" she asked, hoping that she got the name right.

"You got it right." Greninja answered. "Also, we should probably start heading back to Fiore, tomorrow. It will take a few days to get back, and the sooner we get back, the better, so that rumors don't start to spread around, causing confusion."

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. It was fun seeing some of Kalos, but it is probably time that we start heading back. Besides, who knows what has happened with the guild, while we've been gone." she said.

"I wonder if any of the other guild members found Pokemon partners of their own, yet." Lucy thought out loud.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "Who knows?" he asked no one in particular. "We'll find that out, once we return to the guild. Though, we are going to be leaving early, so I think it is time to get some sleep." he said. The others nodded their heads in agreement, tired after such a long day. Greninja returned to his Pokeball, and Lowell and the others went to their respective rooms.

* * *

Once Lowell reached his, he closed the door behind him and locked it. He then sat on the small bed in the middle of the room, taking out his phone. He dialed the number that Valerie gave him, and his phone began to ring for a few moments.

Soon enough, Kurt picked up. _"Well, look at who finally decided to call?"_ Kurt asked.

Lowell sighed. "A lot of things have been happening, lately, and I also kind of destroyed my old phone, along with all my contact information." he explained, earning a loud laugh from his friend. "I am in Laverre City, until morning, so I asked Valerie to give me your number again, since I kind of forgot it."

 _"_ _I shouldn't be surprised. You've always been a little clumsy, though you hate to admit it."_ Kurt said, his laughing quieting down to a small chuckle. _"So, why are you calling, so late? I doubt that this was just to catch up with me."_

Lowell shook his head, even though Kurt couldn't see it. "While that does sound nice, I called because of something that Valerie told me, that has me a little concerned." Lowell answered, taking a small paused. Kurt's silence meant that he knew things were getting serious. "What is this that I've heard about a Team Tempest?"

* * *

 **A/N: I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter! I also hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas, or whatever holiday you may celebrate at this time of year! This is the longest chapter that I have posted, so far, which I feel is appropriate, given that it is going to be the last update I make to any of my stories, before the new year.**

 **Also, I know that I've said this before, but I really do appreciate all the support that everyone has given me, so far. When I first started posting on FanFiction, it was something that I started doing, because my friend suggested it to me. I wasn't really that serious about it, at first, which I why I am still surprised that I have managed to create something that so many people seem to like. Although, I have Insane Dominator to thank for that, and it all started because of a reply to one of the reviews I wrote for him. He inspired me to try harder, to make something that I can feel proud of, as well as something that other people seem to enjoy to read. I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited my stories over the past months, for your continued support. It really means a lot to me (:**

 **Anyways, with all of that said and done, I will have another update ready sometime after New Years is over. Sadly, I will also be starting college once again, in a couple weeks, and I will also most likely be getting a job, as soon as I get used to college, again. So, pretty soon, I may not have the most time to work on my stories, but I promise you that I won't give up on them. I will work on them whenever I have the time, and I will update chapters when I can.**

 **Seriously, though, that is my last rant, I promise you XD With all of that finally said, I hope that you look forward to the next chapter! Please feel free to leave a review, because like I previously said, it is GREATLY appreciated, because I want to make sure that I can make my readers happy. Have a wonderful day, or night!**


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Lowell and the others had breakfast with Valerie before heading out of Laverre City. As much as they would like to stay longer, the quicker they return to Fiore, the better. Now that word has finally gotten out about magic, it is only a matter of time before the news spreads across the different regions. They need to get back, so that they can prepare for the press conference.

However, what was supposed to be a simple breakfast turned into chaos when Natsu and Gray started arguing. No one was surprised, though, they still questioned why they chose to argue so early in the morning. Normal people would still be half asleep, at this time, though, Natsu and Gray aren't exactly normal.

"Just admit it!" Natsu yelled. "You don't have a Pokemon of your own, because no Pokemon would want a stripper as their partner!"

"Shut up! I'll find a partner of my own, and when I do, we are going to show you just how pathetic you are!" Gray retorted.

As they continued to argue, Valerie couldn't help but watch them, in shock. "Do they do this all the time?" she asked, receiving a nod from everyone else.

Happy looked up from the fish he was eating. "Aye, sir! When those two are together, it is always crazy."

"It is annoying, but you get used to it, after a while." Lucy sighed, having to deal with their shenanigans every time they go on a job. "Let's just be thankful that they haven't started fighting, yet."

Levy giggled. "I wouldn't say that, Lu. You might jinx it." she responded, knowing well enough that arguments between the two of them always lead to fighting.

While everyone was watching the hysterics of the two rival mages, Lowell and Greninja sat still in their seats, deep in thought. They haven't really eaten much, but they aren't really hungry. Instead, they can't help but worry about what Kurt had said, last night. Lowell filled Greninja in, as soon as he woke up.

 _"_ _They tried to summon Groudon and Kyogre? That doesn't make any sense. What reason would they have for reviving two of the weather trio?"_ Lowell thought. It just doesn't make any sense. After what happened with Team Magma and Team Aqua years ago, he didn't think that anyone would be stupid enough to attempt that, again. It would make sense, regarding the weather. However, it doesn't explain why Ishgar merged with Earth. _"Plus, they failed to summon them. There must be more to it than that, but what is it?"_

Levy looked over, and she noticed how silent Lowell was. This made her a little worried. "Lowell, are you alright?" she asked, causing him to snap out of his thoughts and look at her. "You seem to have something on your mind."

This caught the others' attention. Even Natsu and Gray stopped arguing for a moment, to see what Levy was talking about.

"Now that you mention it, Lowell has been rather quiet, this morning." Lucy responded.

Gray nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. I know that you aren't the most talkative person, but it is odd that you haven't said…well, anything, really." he said. "Are you alright, man?" he asked.

Seeing their concern, Lowell gave them a small smile and waved it off. "Don't worry, guys. I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind, is all." he responded.

Natsu nodded his head in understanding. "I'm not surprised. With everything going on, you are right in the middle of it, trying to get things ready for the tournament and negotiating with people. You are probably just thinking too much."

"At least he thinks, unlike a certain pyro we know." Gray responded with a smirk.

"You shut your mouth, Gray!" Natsu yelled back.

A light chuckle escaped Lowell's lips. Despite his worries about Team Tempest, just hearing his friends' concern towards him puts him at ease. Traveling with them has been different than what he is used to, but at the same time, it is a very welcome change.

Levy smiled at Lowell. "Just don't worry, so much. I am sure that everything is going to go well. No good will come, from overthinking it." she said. Although his worries are different than the ones they are referring to, Levy is still right. For the meantime, he shouldn't worry about it, too much. He needs to focus on the here and now.

The Ninja Pokemon nodded his head in agreement. "There will be plenty of time to think about it, once we get back to Magnolia." he said. He is just going along with it, since he and his trainer both agreed not to tell the others what Kurt told Lowell, at least, not yet. They want to learn more, before they worry the others about it.

A small smile formed on Lowell's face. "Yeah, I know. Let's hurry up and finish eating, so that we can meet up with Frank. We don't want to keep him waiting, for too long." he said, before they returned to eating breakfast.

Once they finally finished breakfast, they all went to the center of town, where Frank is already waiting with the helicopter. It seems as though a crowd of people were drawn to the helicopter, but they didn't get in the way of Lowell and the others. Gray and Levy got in the vehicle, while Lucy and Happy were trying to drag a complaining Natsu on with them.

Lowell and Greninja were the last ones to get on, and Valerie wanted to see them off.

"Well, you've definitely still got a lot of work in front of you, but I have no doubts that you will be able to accomplish anything you set your mind to." she said, remembering when he saved Kalos. When she battled him, she knew that he and his team had potential, but she never thought that he would have come this far. Still, she has the upmost confidence that he will be able to unite the people of both worlds.

Lowell smiled in return. "Thanks. Although, I think you may be putting a little too much faith into me. Knowing me, I'll mess up, at some point, but I know that I will be able to rely on my friends and family to back me up, and make up for my mistakes." he said, looking at Greninja.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "That we will. Somebody will have to step up when you screw up." he responded jokingly, making Lowell chuckle.

After saying what needed to be said, Greninja went back into his Pokeball, and Lowell sat down in his seat on the helicopter. The propeller's blades whirled, generating a powerful air current that threatened to push some of the crowd back if they got a little too close. Soon enough, the helicopter lifted into the air, and it began to go the direction of Fiore.

Lowell and the others, minus Natsu, took one last look outside the windows and watched as they got further and further away from Laverre City. That was their last destination in Kalos. The trip was fun while it lasted, but now it is time to return to Fiore, back to Magnolia. He knows that the upcoming press conference is important, but Lowell also wants to see how the others in the guild have been. He also wants to maybe rest for a day. After all, he has been travelling almost nonstop for the past month or so. He would like a little time to rest, and that goes for everyone else who went with him.

* * *

Several days later, the group finally made their return to Fiore. Most of them are eager to get back to the guild, whereas one of them simply wants to be off of the helicopter, for good. After travelling by air for the past couple of weeks, Natsu has had enough of vehicles to last a while.

The residents of Magnolia heard a familiar sound, and when they looked beyond the horizon, they could see something coming from the ocean past Magnolia's beach. Several people wondered what was going on, while the members of a certain guild recognized the sound immediately and rushed out of their guild hall. They knew that there was only one thing that it could possibly be.

Soon enough, Frank slowly began to let the helicopter descend, landing right in front of the famous guild hall. As soon as the landing gear touched the ground, Natsu went barreling out of the door, stumbling and falling head first onto the ground. He didn't even wait for the propellers to stop spinning. His face is blue and his cheeks are puffed up from his motion sickness.

"…we're…back." he said weakly, still fighting with his sickness. Happy quickly followed, and he landed on the ground in front of Natsu.

"How does it feel to be back?" he asked Natsu, who tried to respond, but only ended up turning away and almost puking his guts up. "Yeah, I expected that." Happy deadpanned. Charmander appeared from his Pokeball, and he just shook his head at his trainer.

Gray hopped down from the helicopter, looking down at Natsu and smirking. "Man, that is just pathetic. And here he was, bragging about him being better than me." he scoffed. Natsu heard this and was mad, however, he can't do much, until his motion sickness finally wears off. However, he is going to get Gray back, as soon as he is sure that he isn't going to vomit.

Levy and Lucy quickly followed their fellow guild members, with Klefki floating beside them. Looking up at the sign above the guild hall, Lucy smiled. "It sure is good to be back." she said. No matter how many times she leaves the guild hall, she is always happy upon returning home from a long job.

Levy nodded her head in agreement, sharing her friend's smile. "Yeah. Our new Pokemon get to finally see it, as well." she said, letting Noctowl come out of his Pokeball. "So, what do you think?" she asked.

The Owl Pokemon took a brief look around, examining the town behind him and the massive building in front of him. He gave an approving nod. "The town looks beautiful, and I'll admit that I am impressed by the design of the guild hall." he stated. Klefki is impressed, as well, but she only admired the building in silence.

Lowell jumped down from the helicopter, Greninja immediately appearing from his Pokeball. The brown-haired trainer gave Frank a quick solute. "Try not to fall asleep, up there." he said.

Frank sighed, and yelled out of the window before taking off. "It was one time!"

Lowell and Greninja watched Frank fly off, before they went to join the others. Natsu is finally starting to recover from his motion sickness, and the others are standing in front of the building, being greeted by the other members.

"Well, you guys sure took your sweet time getting back." Wakaba commented, smoking from his pipe.

"Yeah. It seems as though there are some new additions, as well." Macao added, noticing Charmander, Noctowl, and Klefki.

Suddenly, a blue blur rushed past everyone else, appearing right in front of Gray. The black-haired mage was startled for a moment, until he realized who it was.

"My beloved has finally returned!" Juvia stated with hearts in her eyes.

Gray sighed. "I just got back, and you are already starting with this!" he said, frustrated. It is always the same thing with her.

"So, this is the guy that you can't stop talking about." a slightly high-pitched voice said, catching Gray and the others off-guard. They weren't sure where it was coming from, until they noticed Juvia holding a pink-heart-shaped creature in her arms.

"Hold up. What is that thing?" Gray asked. He doesn't recall ever seeing it, before.

Levy's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, is that a Pokemon?" she asked, receiving a nod from the other blue-haired woman.

Juvia nodded her head. "Yes. Juvia found her, while she was out on a job. She was being attacked by the group of bandits I was after. Juvia helped her, and then once the bandits were taken care of, she decided to come with me, as thanks." Juvia explained.

Lowell was a little shocked. He wasn't expecting someone else from the guild to form a bond with a Pokemon, so soon. However, that isn't a bad thing. In fact, it made him smile. That just means that things are already beginning to improve, between the mages and the Pokemon.

"Well, it definitely seems as though you and Luvdisc get along, rather well." he stated, seeing as though Juvia is carrying her in her arms. They haven't been together for very long, but he can tell that they are close.

Juvia smiled and nodded. "Yes. It took a little getting used to, but Juvia has become quite fond of Luvdisc." she responded, looking down at her new friend.

Luvdisc nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. At first, I thought she was a little crazy, given how much she talked about this Gray guy." she said, not surprising anyone. At this point, they've come to expect Juvia to act like that. "Although, she is a kind person, and she helped me, so I want to return the favor."

Wanting to know more about Luvdisc, Levy took out her Pokedex, surprising some of the other members. "You got one of those Pokedex things, too, Levy?" Romeo asked, receiving a nod of the head in return.

Soon enough, a picture of Luvdisc appeared on the Pokedex's screen. **_"Luvdisc: The Rendezvous Pokemon. Luvdisc's heart-shaped body is a symbol of love and romance. It is said that any couple meeting this Pokémon is promised a loving relationship that never ends."_** the Pokedex said.

After hearing this, Juvia became devastated that Gray wasn't there with her, when she found Luvdisc. Most of the people watching were amused by her reaction, though Gray only felt relief, knowing that Juvia would be all over him, if that had been the case. However, soon enough, his relief was ended when Natsu punched him with a flaming fist, getting revenge on Gray for his earlier taunt. Soon enough, this resulted in yet another fight.

"Is this normal for them?" Luvdisc asked, receiving a nod from everyone present. She has seen the guild-wide brawls before, but she has only heard stories of Gray and Natsu's rivalry. Though, she didn't expect it to be this bad.

Ignoring Natsu and Gray for the time being, they all began to head into the guild hall to meet with the others. Though, Lucy is still a little surprised, that someone else already got a Pokemon of their own.

"I definitely wasn't expecting that, when we got back." she said, receiving nods of agreement from the others who went to Kalos.

"Just wait until you get inside." Macao said. "It gets even better."

Curious as to what he meant, everyone walked through the doors of the guild, only to be greeted with another guild-wide brawl. This didn't surprise them. However, what did surprise them were the new among the rowdy guild.

Sitting beside Cana is a purple, cat-like Pokemon, curled up next to her and trying to take a nap. Although, with all the chaos going on in the guild, that is a bit difficult for the Purrloin.

Mira came out from the guild's kitchen, followed by Lisanna. However, for some reason, she has a small, gray tail. As soon as she came out, the real Lisanna showed up, with a scolding look on her face. "Zorua, how many times have I said to stop transforming into me?" she asked.

'Lisanna' had a playful smile on her face, before transforming into a small, gray fox with some red fur on a tuft on the top of its head. The Tricky Fox Pokemon snickered. "Sorry, Lisanna. I just couldn't help myself." she responded. Mira gently pet the foxlike Pokemon on the head, giving her a reassuring smile.

"She's just jealous that she doesn't have that cute tail of yours." Mira said jokingly, making Lisanna glare slightly at her older sister. She then took note of the people standing in the door, and she smiled. "Oh, welcome back. You were gone longer than Master expected."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "Well, to be fair, I was stupid to think that we would only be gone for a week. There were a couple of things that got us sidetracked, but we still managed to get everything done." he explained. He then directed his attention on Zorua. "Still, I wasn't expecting this."

Mira nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. She followed me back to the guild from the market, one day. After that, she just stuck around. She has been a big help. Although, things started to get a little confusing, when she started transforming into Lisanna, and some of the other members." she explained.

Lowell nodded his head in understanding. "It makes sense. She might continue to do that, until she gets used to everyone in the guild. Zorua are often pretty cowardly, so unless they are around their friends, they normally stay transformed." Lowell explained, hoping that would help the white-haired bartender. Mira responded by giving him one of her usual smiles.

The sound of footsteps could be heard behind them, and a familiar voice called out. "This is all thanks to you, Lowell." the voice said. Lowell turned around, to see Master Makarov walking towards them. "When Pokemon first started to appear in Fiore, many of us assumed that they were enemies. However, thanks to you, we now understand that it is possible to form a lasting bond with them. Several members have already befriended a Pokemon of their own, as you can already tell, and those who haven't hope for the same to happen with them. There is a long road ahead before the rest of Fiore and Ishgar feel the same, but for now, I consider this a step in the right direction."

Lowell nodded his head in agreeance, smiling proudly. Like he said, there is still the rest of Fiore and Ishgar to worry about. However, after seeing how some of the members have adapted to living with Pokemon, after just a couple of weeks; he has hope that the kingdom and even the entire continent will adapt, as well. Only time will tell, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to make that a reality. "Thank you, Master." he responded with a big smile on his face.

Master Makarov sat down on the counter of the bar, and Mira handed him a mug. He took a quick sip, before turning to face Lowell again. "So, how did everything in Kalos go? Were the negotiations a success?" he asked.

The brown-haired trainer nodded his head in response. "Yes. Now, all it will take is time, before things start coming into place. I'm sure that progress will start to hasten, after the press conference is over." he answered.

This made the Master happy. "Good. We can contact the head chairman of the council, and they can start making preparations." he responded.

Lowell figured as much. He thinks that it is better for this to happen sooner, rather than later. Although, there is still something that he has yet to tell the master. "However, there was a slight problem, a couple of days ago."

The master narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked. For once, he was hoping that something would go right, and that he wouldn't have more paperwork to sign.

"Something came up, and Gray accidentally used his magic in front of a crowd of people." he responded.

"Is that so?" Erza asked, joining the others and causing them to look at her. "Where is Gray, anyways?" she asked. However, her question was answered, by the mixture of fire and ice, outside. She was about to go and stop them, but Lowell stepped in front of her. He didn't believe there was a reason for her to get angry.

"Don't be too hard on Gray." Lowell requested. "It was an accident, and everyone is going to find out, very soon. Honestly, I was just worried about Natsu blowing the secret, by destroying half of a town." he explained. Of course, most of the guild understood this, already fully aware of Natsu's fiery behavior.

Erza understood, and she backed down. "I guess you have a point. Though, did this complicate things, at all?"

Lowell shook his head. "Almost, but not quite. Luckily, a friend of mine, the gym leader of Laverre City, stepped in at the right time. She stopped the crowd from doing anything drastic." he explained.

The master let out a sigh of relief, thankful that the one slip up didn't ruin things. "Good. Now, I suggest that we contact Gran Doma, now. We might as well get it over with." he said, jumping down from the bar counter. The tone of his voice signals that he doesn't really look forward to this conversation, and Lowell can't blame him. After speaking with him a single time, he doesn't really care for the man. Though, they will just have to put up with it.

Lowell followed behind the master, letting out his own sigh. "Yes, I agree. Let's just go and get this over with." he said. Greninja followed behind them, going up to the master's office.

* * *

While Lowell, Greninja, and the master went to settle things with Gran Doma, the others went back to what they were doing before Lowell and the others got back. Levy and Lucy sat down at the bar, with their Pokemon following them. Erza also went and stopped the fight between Natsu and Gray, making Charmander realize just how scary Erza can be.

Levy looked around at the guild, watching the other members fight with each other, along with their new Pokemon partners. It is a new and odd sight, but it also doesn't change the fact that Fairy Tail will always be a group of rambunctious individuals, that make up a very odd, yet supportive family. The only difference now is that there are a lot of new members to that family.

"I wonder if this is what it feels like, to grow up on Earth." she said, catching Lucy's attention.

"What do you mean?" the blonde-haired mage asked, confused.

"I mean, people on Earth grew up, surrounded by Pokemon. What we are seeing happening in the guild right now; people interacting with Pokemon. This is all a normal day to people like Lowell." she explained. It is truly a wonderful sight. She can't believe that only a month ago, everyone was afraid of these creatures, and yet now, they are interacting with them like they've always been here. "I hope that everything goes well, and that the rest of Fiore and Ishgar will be able to experience this, for themselves."

Noctowl smiled from where he is perched on the bar counter. "Very well said." he responded. He isn't quite sure what is going to happen, but he knows that, if there are other people like Levy out there in Ishgar, people that are willing to accept Pokemon, then everything will be fine.

Suddenly, a boisterous laugh caught their attention. They turned around, to see a still somewhat sober Cana. She must have not drunk very much, yet. "I think you are thinking too much into all this. I'm sure that everything is gonna be fine, so just stop worrying so much." she said, downing another mug of booze.

Purrloin sighed and sat up, fixing her messed up fur with one of her paws. "Unlike you, some people actually do more than just drink." she said, earning a playful punch on the shoulder.

Levy noticed the bored expression on the Purrloin's face, and she questioned just how she ended up befriending Cana. "How did the two of you meet, anyways? By the looks of it, you couldn't be any more different."

Purrloin shrugged her shoulders in response. "She was drunk, and I saw a couple of prowling men going after her. People like that disgust me, so I chased them off. I stuck around, because I knew that something like that was bound to happen again." she explained.

Cana laughed and pet the Devious Pokémon's head. "Ah, come on. You know you care about me." she responded, resulting in Purrloin to roll her eyes. However, the slight amusement in them proved the truth in Cana's words. She might be drunk more than half the time, but she still makes things interesting enough.

Levy smiled at them. "Well, I think that it is nice, that you have someone watching your back, like that." she said to Cana, who just shrugged her shoulders and kept drinking, much to Purrloin's chagrin.

For the next half an hour, they simply talked, being joined by Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Erza who had finished disciplining Natsu and Gray for fighting. Happy, on the other hand, was only there because Carla was there. That, and because Natsu was still unconscious because of Erza. Although, Charmander is keeping an eye on him.

"I still can't believe that fool has a Pokemon." Carla commented, not sure if Natsu having a Pokemon is a good idea. "He is destructive enough, on his own. Having a fire breathing lizard following him around doesn't seem like a very smart idea."

Wendy shook her head, looking down at the white Exceed. "Now, Carla, I think that is a little too harsh." she scolded. Natsu may be hard-headed and eager when it comes to a fight, but he has it where it counts. "I'm sure that things will be alright. Besides, it doesn't seem as though Charmander is as bad as Natsu when it comes to causing damage."

Lucy shook her head in response. "That is because he still has little experience. Eventually, he is going to be a Charizard like Lowell's, and I can't help but worry about the kind of trouble Natsu and him will cause together." she said, thinking about all the buildings and cities that may possibly end up burned to the ground by the duo. A sad look etched its way onto her face. _"There goes all the reward money."_ she thought.

"While that may be true, I can't help but feel like this may be a good thing, for Natsu." Erza said, making the others look at her like she had grown an extra head.

"What do you mean by that?" Cana asked.

Erza crossed her arms underneath her chest before speaking. "Think about it. This will give Natsu a chance to learn how to cooperate better with others, during a fight. I doubt anything will change immediately, but I have a feeling that Natsu will learn valuable lessons from training with Charmander." she explained.

While Levy agrees with Lucy, she also can't help but agree with the point that Erza made. Even though his teamwork still has a long way to go, he is slowly making progress. She could tell, from their double battle with Ryder and Emelia. While it took him a little while to realize it, now he at least understands the importance of working together with your allies, instead of charging ahead and doing things on your own. Sure, he may not completely change that habit of his, but he will at least improve.

"Everyone, may I have your attention!" Master Makarov called out, making everyone look up to the second floor. The master is standing on the railing, while Lowell and Greninja are standing behind him, both with their arms crossed underneath their chests.

It took a moment, but soon enough, the entire guild had quieted down. Master Makarov cleared his throat. "After speaking with the Chairman of the Magic Council, it has been decided that the press conference revealing Pokemon to all of Ishgar, as well as magic to all of Earth, will be held in a week's time. The conference will be announced tomorrow. It will be open to the public, and it is highly encouraged for all guilds to attend." he explained. They want to clear up that Pokemon in general are not a threat to the safety of the public, and that the guilds are not to harm them, unless given good enough reason.

Most of the guild understood the reasoning behind it, though, Lily was the first one to respond. "So, that includes us as well, right?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. Although, beside him, Gajeel wasn't very happy, mainly because he didn't think it was necessary.

"I don't see why we need to go there. It isn't like we don't know what is going on. It is all the idiots in the other guilds that don't know." he grumbled.

"That's exactly why we are going." a blonde-haired man said from the corner of the guild. He is sitting at a table, with a mug of booze, surrounded by a green-haired man in a red coat, a brown-haired woman with glasses, and a blue-haired man with a visor that covered his face.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Laxus is correct. Though my Pokemon will be proof enough that coexisting with them is possible, not everyone will be completely satisfied with that. So, as a precaution, having the rest of Fairy Tail there, who have witnessed the bond of trainer and Pokemon, might help get our point across." he explained. Although, what he isn't telling them is that he is also very nervous about having to speak in front of so many people, and he would feel more comfortable having the guild there, as support.

In response, Gajeel just shrugged his shoulders. He doesn't really care. He just didn't feel like going, if it wasn't necessary. He isn't going argue about the decision.

Seeing that there wasn't going to be another interruption, Lowell spoke again. "Well, considering that the conference will be held in about a week, everyone should be there, by at least the day before, so that no one is late. Although, I will be going, the day after tomorrow, to help with the preparations." he explained, though, if he had it his way, he would've left with the other members of the guild. Although, Grand Doma wanted him there, as soon as possible. So, Lowell decided to take a day off, to relax, and then he would leave the next day. If the Chairman doesn't agree with that, then oh well. He isn't the one who has been constantly travelling for the past month.

With that said, Master Makarov returned to his office, and Lowell and Greninja went back downstairs and joined the rest of the guild. He was approached by Juvia, who was asking about how she could get a Pokeball for Luvdisc, and soon enough, Mira and Cana did the same thing. Luckily, he still has a couple on him. Though, when the rest of the guild decide to catch Pokemon of their own, they are going to have to wait until a shipment of Pokeballs arrive, since he has nowhere near enough for all of them.

After doing that, Lowell and Greninja went to the bar, and Lowell ordered a glass of orange juice. He certainly wasn't going to get something alcoholic, and it was still somewhat early in the morning, so orange juice sounded rather refreshing. He quickly drained his cup, before laying his head in his arms, on top of the bar counter. The guild-wide brawl had resumed, but he was just ignoring them, intent on getting a little rest. This next week is going to be irritating, for him.

Although, seeing this made Levy a little worried, thinking that something might be wrong. "Are you alright, Lowell?" she asked. She could see him slightly nod his head, and she heard a muffled "yes" as his response. This made the Mira, who is once again behind the counter, giggle.

"Oh my. I didn't realize that he could be so lazy." she commented jokingly.

Lucy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. He didn't seem like the lazy type, when we were in Kalos."

Greninja chuckled. "This is what happens when he doesn't take naps, at least once a day." he commented. A faint "shut up" could be heard, muffled by Lowell's arms, making the girls giggle.

Carla crossed her arms under her chest. "Well, I'm not surprised that he is tired. After all, he has been rather busy, for the past month." she defended.

Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. Maybe we should just let him sleep."

"Thank you!" Lowell said, making them laugh once again.

"How about we just let him enjoy it, while he can. He has decided to take tomorrow to just relax and rest, but after that, he will be heading for Crocus, and he isn't exactly looking forward to it. Truth be told, he doesn't like speaking in front of crowds, which I doubt is very hard to believe." Greninja explained, to which the others nodded their heads in agreement. He isn't a very social person, and they know that, so having to speak in front of so many people makes him a little anxious.

Though, Lowell doesn't like to admit it. When he is in front of people that he knows, he is alright, but big crowds of strangers just leaves him on edge. Hearing Greninja say it to the others made him blush from embarrassment. Luckily his face was still hidden by his arms.

Erza shrugged her shoulders in response, having a small, reassuring smile on her face. "I don't see anything wrong with being a little frightened of crowds. Given your nature, it is understandable. Though, just remember that the rest of the guild will be there to support you." she said, with the others nodding their heads in agreement.

"Yeah. I understand how you feel. I'm not exactly fond of being in front of large crowds, either." Wendy responded. She still acts shy around some of the other members of the guild, as well. To her, he is brave, just for agreeing to speak in front of so many people about something so important. She doesn't believe that she could ever do something as nerve-wracking as that.

Levy smiled down at him. "Erza is right, Lowell." she said. "You don't need to worry, because we'll all be there, to give you our support. You have taken on such important and stressful tasks. It is the least that we can do, to help you."

Lowell unconsciously smiled at Levy's words. He is still nervous about the whole thing, but just knowing that the guild, and Levy, will have his back makes him feel a little better. Though, even if they wouldn't be there, he wouldn't be alone. His Pokemon are still with him, and he knows that he will have their support, as well. He sat up straight, lifting his head away from his arms. He smiled at his friends, grateful for them trying to cheer him up. "Thanks, everyone. I will admit, that I feel a little better, now." he replied, making the others smile.

Mira nodded her head in approval. "Good. It won't be good for anyone, if you are all stressed out." she responded, stating a valid point. If he gets himself all worked up, then he won't be able to focus, and it won't be good for anyone, if he messes up at this conference.

Suddenly, Levy came up with an idea. "Hey, I know. Surely you want to relax tomorrow, but maybe it will help distract you a bit, if we get something to eat." she suggested to Lowell. Although, it took her a moment to fully realize what she suggested, before a small blush formed on her cheeks. _"Did I seriously just do that?"_ she thought.

Little did she know, Lowell was thinking the same thing. Of course, he tried his best to hide his blush. With Lucy and Mira around, he wouldn't want to give them ideas. He simply nodded his head. "Sure, why not." he responded, surprising Levy a little. She didn't expect him to say yes.

Suddenly, Happy made the two blush even more. "She likes~ him!" he exclaimed. Normally, Lucy would've stopped him or punched him for saying that, but she is just happy that it wasn't directed towards her, like it often is.

Although, in an attempt to spare herself of some embarrassment, she turned to the others. "What do you guys think?" she asked, hoping that the others would come along, as well.

Erza nodded her head. "Yes. That sounds like a splendid idea." she said, but she then frowned a bit. "Unfortunately, one of my armors was damaged on my last job, and I need to get it repaired. I'm not sure how long it will take, so I will have to pass." she explained.

Carla nodded her head in agreement. "Sadly, rent is due in a couple of days, and Wendy and I are a little short. We need to take another job, if we wish to pay it, on time." she explained.

Wendy gave Levy an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but she is right. If we are going to make it to the conference, then we need to leave tomorrow, if we want to finish in time."

The white-haired takeover mage let out a small giggle. "Sorry, but I have to run some errands for the guild, tomorrow." she responded truthfully. She really does have errands that need to be done, but she also wouldn't have gone with them, because she doesn't want to get in between the two of them.

Levy looked over to her best friend with a small pleading expression, hoping that she would help her out. However, Lucy just gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but my rent is due soon, as well. It doesn't help that we were gone for a couple of weeks, and couldn't go on jobs." she responded. _"It also doesn't help that Natsu and the others cause so much damage when they go on jobs, that they rarely get the full amount of the reward."_ she thought sadly.

Levy feels bad for her friends, but she doesn't need to worry about her own rent, since she paid it, before they left for Kalos. Still, that doesn't help her in her current situation. She looked over to Lowell and Greninja. "W-well, I guess it will just be us." she said. Although, remembering that Greninja would be there, as well, made her feel a little less nervous. It will be like when they had dinner, when they first met.

Lowell realized this as well, and he smiled. "Yeah. That is fine, though. It'll be like back in Hargeon." he responded.

They decided to meet up in front of the guild hall, tomorrow around noon. After that, Lowell took a nap, or he at least attempted to. Though, he still isn't used to all the noise caused by the rowdy guild, and he can't fall asleep, like that. For the rest of the day, the others talked with each other, watching their guild mates continue to fight amongst each other. However, Mira also continued to tease Levy, much to her disappointment.

* * *

Soon enough, it turned nighttime, and all of the members began to return home. Meanwhile, Lowell and Greninja returned to the forest that they currently call home. Lowell is laying on his back, with his hands behind his head, looking up at the stars. Greninja is laying next to him, with his arms crossed over under his chest.

For several moments, they both lied there in silence, until Greninja chose to speak up. "So, are you looking forward to your date with Levy, tomorrow?" he asked, receiving a light punch on the shoulder. "I was asking a simple question." he stated, rubbing his shoulder.

"It's not a date." Lowell responded, slightly blushing at the thought of going on a date with Levy. "She asked the others, as well. They just all had something to do." he defended.

Greninja rolled his eyes. "That was to spare herself some of the embarrassment, from accidentally asking you out." he responded. It obviously wasn't intentional, judging by how it took her a couple seconds to start blushing. Though, he considers this to be a good thing. "This will give you a chance to confess to her."

Lowell shook his head, letting out a tired sigh. "I don't think that will happen." he said.

The Ninja Pokemon turned his head slightly to give his trainer a confused look. "And why not?" he asked.

Lowell kept his gaze on the glittering stars above, sighing deeply. "I'm just…not ready, yet. I admit, I do have feelings for her, and you know that." he said. "Though, with everything going on, should I really be thinking about starting a relationship?" he asked Greninja. There is still the conference and the tournament to worry about, as well as Team Tempest. Wouldn't a relationship just distract him from doing what he needs to do?

His partner sighed, not knowing the answer to his question. "Honestly, I'm not sure. All I can say, is that you should just do what you feel is right. No one can blame you, for wanting to be happy. If dating Levy will make you happy, then I say go for it." he responded.

After that, Greninja went to sleep, having said what he needed to say. Although, Lowell just couldn't fall asleep, with his mind being on other things. He isn't really sure what he wants to do, but he sure is glad that he has another day, before he has to leave. He needs time to think.

* * *

The next morning, Lowell fed his Pokemon, and then he just sat with his back against the stump of a tree. His eyes are closed, to block out the morning sun. Charizard and Dragonite are arguing with each other, but he is just ignoring them, choosing to think more about what Greninja told him, last night.

 _"_ _Will dating Levy make me happy?"_ he thought. He has been happier, since coming to Fiore. Though, is that because of Levy, or is that just because he has more friends than he ever has, before. Still, it is because of Levy that he made these friends. If it wasn't her who escorted him to Crocus, he doubts that he would've decided to join Fairy Tail. Sure, the others are nice, but most of them are too energetic or chaotic.

He sighed, catching Gardevoir's attention. She took another look at the fight between the Fire and Dragon types, before going to speak with her trainer. Lowell heard her coming, but he didn't open his eyes.

"You are thinking too hard about all this. Just go to the dinner with Levy, and have fun. This was suggested, as a way to distract you from the conference. Don't worry about anything else." she said gently, before returning to stop the fight between the rowdy Pokemon. Though, she did mutter something under her breath. "He is going to drive himself crazy, one day, with how much he overthinks some of the simplest things."

Her trainer didn't hear what she said, but he understood what she was trying to tell him. He should just go, and whatever happens, it happens.

Greninja watched as Gardevoir came back and put an end to the fight that is starting to get out of hand. Afterwards, she sat down, near Greninja, and he turned to face her.

"Do you think he will actually listen?" he asked.

Gardevoir took another glance at her trainer, who is now looking up in the sky, still deep in thought. She sighed. "Who knows? I just hope that he doesn't mess things up with her." she answered, receiving a nod of Greninja's head in agreement.

* * *

Several hours later, Lowell is standing in front of the guild hall. His attire is slightly different, mainly because it is a little hotter, today, and he didn't want to be constantly sweating. He is currently wearing his usual purple shirt, but instead of his jeans, he is wearing a pair of black cargo shorts that stop just above his knees. He is also wearing a pair of black sandals.

He sighed, looking around as he waited for Levy. It is almost noon, so she should be arriving, at any time. He isn't in the greatest mood at the moment, but that is because Greninja decided at the last moment that he was going to stay in his Pokeball, during the dinner. He knows what his friend is trying to do, and it is making him a little anxious.

However, he was snapped out of his thoughts, when he heard someone call his name. He turned to his right, and he noticed Levy walking towards him with a smile on her face. He couldn't tell because of the glare from the sun getting in his eyes, but Levy has a small blush on her face.

"Hey, Levy." he greeted.

"Sorry if I am a bit late. I overslept this morning." she said truthfully. She had fallen asleep late, because she was busy thinking about today, much like Lowell was.

Lowell just shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. I don't think it is noon yet, anyways, so you aren't late." he responded. "So, where exactly are we going?" he asked, trying to prevent an awkward silence.

She hummed in thought for a moment. She didn't really think about that, when she suggested getting something to eat. Although, she does know a decent café, not too far from the guild hall. "Follow me." she said, grabbing onto his hand. Both ended up blushing from the contact. "It isn't far from here."

As she was pulling him along with her, she noticed that Greninja wasn't with him. "Wait, where is Greninja?" she asked.

"He decided that he was going to stay in his Pokeball." he answered, still not exactly happy that Greninja left him alone with Levy. Though, he isn't going to force him to stay out of his Pokeball. That choice is up to him.

Realizing that it would just be the two of them, Levy began to get anxious. Although, she can't turn back, now. It would seem rude, if she suggested they get something to eat, and then she just called it off, as they were on their way to the café. She is just going to have to ignore her nerves, for the time being.

It turns out that Levy wasn't kidding when she said the café wasn't far from the guild. All it took was a five minute walk, and the two of them arrived in front of a small, white building, with an orange awning covering several tables and chairs that are on the outside.

The two of them went inside, and they were greeted by a waitress with long, brown hair, wearing a white apron. She smiled at them. "Would you like a table inside, or outside?" she asked.

Levy and Lowell both agreed on outside, since there was an awning to keep the sun from beaming on them. As soon as they sat down, they were given menus, and they took a quick look at the selections they had to choose from. Levy decided to get a chicken sandwich and a small salad, while Lowell decided to get a grilled cheese sandwich. To Levy, his choice was a little odd, but then he explained that it was one of his favorite foods, since he was a child. Although, Levy wasn't surprised when he decided to order freshly diced Pineapple, as soon as he realized that there was a variety of fruit to choose from.

"You really do love pineapple." she said with a giggle, when she saw the smile on Lowell's face upon seeing the pineapple.

He blushed a bit from embarrassment, but he laughed. "I'm not denying it. It is my favorite fruit, after all." he responded. Though, he can't help but remember a song he heard a while back. It was something about pineapples and pens, but he only ever listened to it once, and it wasn't that great of a song, to be honest.

Levy noticed that he was starting to space out, and she got curious, as to what he was thinking about. When she asked him, he just waved it off. "It isn't something important. It is just a silly song I remembered, involving pineapple." he answered. It wasn't what Levy was expecting, but it made her giggle.

Lowell and Levy both finished their sandwiches quickly, not wanting them to get cold. After that, they simply talked for a while, munching on what they got on the side as they did so. Though they were both nervous before the dinner started, afterwards, it just felt normal. They had a nice meal, and they enjoyed talking to each other, without worrying about whatever is going on around them.

Once they were done eating, Lowell paid for their dinner, as well as the tip. Since he actually has Jewel now, he can afford to pay for himself, as well as pay back Levy. She couldn't believe that he still remembered about that, but she must admit that it was nice of him, even though she said that he didn't have to do that.

The two of them walked back to the guild, making several stops along the way to see if they could find anything interesting in one of the shops. Although, a lot of what they found was rather expensive, most likely because of the number of tourists that pass through Magnolia. Still, Levy ended up getting a new book to add to her collection, and Lowell bought a communication lacrima from a magic shop. It was a little expensive, but he thought that it may come in handy, if he ever needed to contact another member of the guild.

When they arrived at the guild, they weren't surprised when they ended up walking into the middle of a massive brawl, with Natsu and Gray as the main contributors to it. As it seems, most of the members are either fighting, or out doing various things. Mira is still running errands, and Kinana is tending to the bar. The only ones sitting at the bar are Cana and Purrloin, which doesn't surprise either of them.

They both sat down next to Cana, and the drunken brunette looked up at them with a slight smirk on her face. "Oh. So, you two finally got back from your little date." she said, making them blush. "How was it?" she asked.

Lowell shook his head. "It wasn't a date." he said, making Cana raise an eyebrow at him.

"You two went get dinner together, alone, and you are saying that isn't a date?" she asked, incredulously. When they both shook their heads, Cana sighed. "And people call me crazy." she muttered underneath her breath.

Lowell just ignored her, and he turned to face Levy. "Anyways, that was pretty fun. It was nice, not being surrounded by everyone else." he said, and Levy nodded in agreement. Despite denying it, they both know that they pretty much went on a date. Though, they still had fun.

"I-if you want, maybe we could…do something like that again, sometime?" Levy suggested hopefully. She liked getting to talk to Lowell, without the others teasing the both of them.

After thinking about it for a moment, Lowell nodded his head and smiled. "Sure. I would like that."

* * *

Later that night, Lowell and Greninja were laying under the stars, and neither of them have spoken a word. Even though he wasn't out of his Pokeball, he was able to hear everything that happened during Lowell and Levy's little date. He is simply waiting for Lowell to bring it up, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts.

It took a while, but after laying there for nearly half an hour, Lowell finally spoke. "I think I have decided what I want to do." he said without looking away from the sky.

"And what is that?" Greninja asked.

Thinking back on today, he had a lot of fun just being with and talking to Levy. He wants to do that, more often, but he still has things that he needs to get done. Plus, even after the conference is over, he may be needed, while trade routes are established and to help with other things regarding shipments of Pokemon-related items. "It won't be right away, but as soon as things calm down, I think that I am going to finally tell her how I feel. I'm not sure when that will be, but despite my feelings, I can't shirk my responsibilities." he answered.

Hearing this made Greninja smile. "If that is your decision, then I will support you." he said. However, his smirk soon turned to a mischievous smirk. "Just don't keep your mother and sister waiting for too long. I'm sure that Kristina is looking forward to grandchildren, and Bella would love to be an aunt." he said, earning a hard punch to his shoulder. This one actually had some power behind it, but he was expecting as much. Still, he chuckled. He didn't even need to face his friend, to realize that he was blushing harder than he ever has before. For a moment, it was hard to tell if he was a person, or a tomato.

"That was uncalled for!" Lowell yelled at his friend, not caring if he woke up the others.

Greninja just shrugged his shoulders. "I was kidding. No need to get so mad about it." he responded.

For once, it wasn't Charizard and Dragonite that were causing a ruckus. However, the only one that seemed woken up by their loudness was Gardevoir, who just watched the two best friends with an amused smile on her face. If it was anyone else, she would've stopped them. However, her Psychic won't affect Greninja, and she refuses to use it on Lowell.

"They could've at least waited until morning to do this." she muttered to herself, before going back to sleep.

Several minutes later, the two of them finally calmed down. Though, Lowell is still blushing brightly from the implications that Greninja made. It took a while, but eventually, he was able to fall asleep. Tomorrow is when he leaves for Crocus, he needs to sleep while he still can.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that this chapter was so late, everybody. Let's just say that things have been stressful, lately, and I haven't felt very motivated to write for the past couple of days. I am still not in the best mood, but I am feeling better than before, and I managed to finally finish this chapter. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long, as the last one.**

 **College is starting in another week for me, which may leave me with less time to write, but I will still do my best to upload as frequently as possible.**

 **Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, please leave a review. It is always greatly appreciated! Have a wonderful day, or night, depending on when you are reading this!**


	17. Chapter 17

Lowell took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. It has been a couple of days since he arrived in Crocus, and he has spent most of his time speaking with either the king, an advisor of his, or messengers sent by the Magic Council. Personally, that just frustrated him even more, disgusted with how they wouldn't even show up to something that effects all of Fiore. He has lost much patience with them, as well as trying to come up with some sort of speech.

Beside him, Greninja is standing with his back against the wall of Mercurius. "Just do what you normally do in this sort of situation: wing it." he told his friend. He has had to speak in front of people before, and usually the more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. He finds that whenever he just says what he needs to say, without worrying if it is formal or not, he tends to be less nervous. Though, the fact that he will be speaking in front of the entire world is making him think too much into it.

The brown-haired trainer sighed, placing his head in his hands. Unlike Greninja, Lowell is sitting on the floor with his hands and head cradled in his knees. "I can't just wing this, Greninja. If I mess this up, then it will no doubt have a negative affect on a lot of people, as well as the Pokemon. This needs to go perfectly." he reasoned, letting the stress invade and cloud his thoughts. He doesn't want to even think about what would happen if he were to make a mistake, when giving his speech. He is also worried about the effects it would have on Fairy Tail. Since he is a member of the rowdy guild, his actions reflect on them, as well. They could get in serious trouble, if he did something wrong. Though he hasn't been a member for very long, he still cares about what happens to them.

Greninja shook his head, realizing that his trainer was letting his nerves get the better of him, yet again. He isn't sure that he has ever seen him _this_ nervous, before. It is understandable, but letting himself be taken over by these negative emotions of his won't do anything but harm him.

Lowell felt something touch his shoulder, and he looked up to see Greninja looking down at him with a small, reassuring smile. "Relax. I know you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders, but letting your nerves keep their hold on you like this will only make things worse. It would be better for you, as well as for everyone else, if you keep a cool head." he said. "Besides, you won't be along, up there. I will be there, as well as the rest of our team. Also, remember that Fairy Tail will be in the crowd, watching." the Ninja Pokemon informed him. "You wouldn't want to let them down, would you?"

No, he doesn't. That is the last thing he wants to do. If he were to let down Fairy Tail, as a result, he would be letting down Levy. He would also be letting down all the friends and family that he has made, since coming to Fiore. He may not be comfortable with speaking in front of all of these people, but it is a part of his job, and it is what needs to be done. If he were to back out now, then he would also be letting down Diantha, who put her faith and trust into him. Lowell respects her far too much to disappoint her, like that.

Taking long, deep breaths, he managed to calm himself down at least a little bit. He is still nervous, but now he at least remembers why he is doing this, to begin with. With his resolve now set, Lowell smiled up at his partner. "Thanks, buddy. I definitely needed that." he said.

In response, Greninja just shook his head. "No need to worry about it. Though, now that I've managed to get through to you, I think it is about time that we get going." he replied, knowing that the conference will start soon, and that Lowell will be needed outside before it can begin.

Lowell took one last shaky breath, before nodding his head and standing up to leave. If he doesn't do this now, then he may not be able to bring himself to do it, in a few minutes. While he is still relatively calm, he and Greninja walked to the exit of Mercurius, where several guards are stationed. With all the people around, they are keeping watch to make sure that no one manages to get into the castle.

When the guards noticed Lowell and Greninja coming towards them, they quickly stepped aside from the doorframe, allowing them to pass. It didn't take longer after they exited the castle for Lowell and Greninja to notice the large crowd of people gathered outside the gates to Mercurius. The sight instantly made Lowell a little hesitant to proceed, but it is too late to turn back, now.

In the front of the crowd, they can see the many flashes of cameras, signaling the large number of reporters that are present. There is a mixture of reporters from Fiore, as well as from several different regions. The reporters native to Earth are prepared to broadcast the event, live, throughout the world, while the reporters from Fiore are getting ready to write their articles for Sorcerer's Weekly Magazine. To say the least, many people are intrigued to figure out what is going on with the Pokemon, and why a new continent has appeared, seemingly out of thin air.

Lowell sighed. "Why did I agree to do this?" he asked himself.

Greninja shrugged his shoulders in response. "You'll do fine." he said, his head turning to the right when he noticed a familiar, tiny man wearing a crown. He is speaking with Arcadios, as well as Princess Hisui. "Well, there is the king. We should probably go greet him, so that he will know we are ready."

Despite being nervous still, Lowell nodded his head in agreement, not wanting to keep the king waiting for too long. The trainer and his Pokemon walked up to the three of them, who were too caught up in their current conversation to notice their presence. Lowell cleared his throat, startling them and making them turn to face them. When they realized it was Lowell and Greninja, the king smiled at them.

"Ah. I apologize for not noticing you, sooner. We were just discussing the conference." he explained. However, he noticed the uneasy look on Lowell's face, and he couldn't help but ask. "Are you feeling well? You look tense."

Upon hearing this, the princess took a closer look at him before frowning. "Have you come down with something?" she asked worriedly.

Arcadios scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "How do you expect to focus on your speech, having contracted an illness?"

Lowell shook his head, not understanding why they thought he was sick. "No. I'm not sick. I am just…a little nervous. I've tried to keep myself away from any unnecessary attention as possible. However, soon enough, I won't really have much of a choice but to step into the spotlight." he explained.

The king, upon hearing what was ailing the brown-haired trainer, gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. When I had just became king, I wasn't too keen of giving speeches to large crowds, either. However, I grew accustomed to it, knowing that it was a part of my role as king." he explained.

Lowell nodded, returning the smile. "I understand. It is just a part of the job, and I'll have to get used to it." he responded.

Hisui smiled warmly at him. "I'm sure that you will do fine." she said while taking notice of how some of the people in the crowd are getting restless. "It may be wise to get started, soon. Otherwise, I am afraid that the crowd will start getting a bit out of hand."

"I agree with the princess." Arcadios said. "It is about time we start. Many people have come from a long way away, to receive clarification on the recent developments. We shouldn't keep them waiting."

* * *

While they were talking, the members of Fairy Tail were waiting patiently in the crowd. Well, some were waiting patiently. Others grew bored rather quickly, which threatened to cause a brawl in the middle of hundreds of people. Of course, there were those such as Erza who managed to keep things at bay, to prevent causing serious injuries to innocent citizens. However, with everyone around, it is hard for her to keep track of all of them. Plus, with all of the other guilds, it led to some…interesting confrontations.

Natsu and Gray had managed to sneak away from Erza and the others, resulting in a small fight to break out. Luckily, they haven't used magic, yet, but the people around them cleared out to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Natsu landed a punch at Gray's face, sending him packing to the ground. A triumphant smirk appeared on his face. "Hah! Take that, Ice Stripper!" he taunted. However, the ground below him suddenly became slippery, resulting in Natsu slipping and falling on the ground face first. Now it is Gray who is the one smirking.

"What were you saying, Flame Brain? I couldn't hear you with your face shoved in the ground, like that." Gray responded with a taunt.

Intent on revenge, Natsu stood up, igniting a flame around his fist, glaring daggers at the Ice-maker mages. He was about to charge at Gray; however, a wall of ice appeared between Natsu and Gray, stopping him in his tracks.

"I heard the shouting and noticed people hurrying to get away from this area. I should've realized that it was you and your destructive guild, Gray." a white-haired man said.

Gray looked in the direction in which the voice came, and his eyes narrowed at the man. "Lyon?! What the hell are you doing here?!" he asked.

Lyon sighed, letting down the ice wall he had set up. "If you have already forgotten, you are more of an idiot than I thought you were, Gray. If I recall correctly, then I am sure that every guild in Fiore was suggested to attend this conference." he explained.

Gray was about the respond, but he stopped when he noticed the giant, bald man who appeared from behind Lyon. "That is correct. Apparently, this should give us all some answers, as to what those strange creatures are, and why they started to appear, suddenly." Jura commented.

Getting past his anger at Gray, Natsu smiled and nodded. "Yeah. The Pokemon are really awesome! Hopefully now, people won't be as afraid of them." he said, making Jura raise a brow.

"So, you are aware of what these creatures are?" he asked, curiously.

Natsu was about to respond, but before he could, and armored fist slammed down on his head, as well as the nearby Gray's head. Once she took note of the panic arising in the area, she came to deal with the two of them. "You should've waited for the conference before talking about that. It will save much confusion." she responded, crossing her arms under her chest while Natsu and Gray both fell to the ground. "Anyways, yes. We are aware of the Pokemon. The one who will be speaking during the conference is the newest member of our guild, and he has a lot of experience with Pokemon." she explained.

Lyon sighed at the information. "Well, it looks like Gray's guild is ahead of the rest of us, like always." he commented. Though, his joking tone was soon replaced with a serious one. "How long has this been going on?" he asked.

"Lowell has been a member of our guild for a little over a month. Though, the Pokemon started appearing, about a week or two before he even arrived in Fiore." Erza explained. "Though, I suggest you save anymore questions you may have until after the conference. Hopefully, it will answer most of the questions that you have."

The two members of Lamia Scale accepted this for the time being, and several other members of the two guilds began to conversate with each other. Wendy and Chelia began to eagerly talk with one another, wanting to catch up, since they haven't spoken since the Grand Magic Games. Lucy and the others started speaking with the other members of Lamia Scale, while Erza ended up finding Kagura and Milliana.

However, the loudness the mages were causing caught the attention of a certain group of tigers. They were walking by, and a woman with short, silver hair noticed Lucy among the group of rowdy mages, making her smile. She was hoping that she would get to catch up with her, today.

"Hey, Lucy. How have you been?" the woman called out.

Lucy looked around until she noticed their friends from Sabertooth strolling towards them. She realized that it was Yukino who called her, and she smiled, happy to see her fellow Celestial Spirit mage, again. "It's nice to see you, Yukino. Things have been rather interesting, lately, but otherwise, things are great." she responded.

Much like Yukino and Lucy, the twin dragons of Sabertooth and Natsu and Gajeel are having their own reunion, which nearly ended with them getting into a fight, then and there. However, before Erza could stop them, Sting and Rogue were teleported away from the other Dragon Slayers in a flash of green light. The members of Fairy Tail recognized that magic, already knowing who split the idiots up before they caused any trouble.

The sound of heels was heard clicking against the ground, belonging to none other than Minerva. She stood in front of the Fairy Tail mages with a hand on her curvy hip and an extravagant smile on her face. "Rowdy as always, it seems. Even so, it is good to see all of you once it. It has been quite some time since our last meeting." she greeted contently. Their guilds may not have been the greatest of friends during the Grand Magic Games, but now that they are over and that Jiemma is no longer the master, they can continue to mend their relationship.

Sting pouted at Minerva, upset about her stopping them. "Come on, Minerva. We weren't going to fight. We were just excited to see Natsu and Gajeel again." he defended. While his silent counterpart didn't say anything, he nodded his head in agreement. He didn't have any plans of fighting with Gajeel, not here, anyways. If he does, it will be an official rematch. Besides, it was Sting who wanted another crack at beating Natsu.

"I don't blame her for thinking otherwise. No offense, buddy, but you can be just as bad as Natsu when it comes to picking fights." a small, red cat said from behind his blonde-haired partner. Beside him, a green cat wearing a pink frog costume nodded his head in agreement.

"Frosch thinks so, too." he responded, turning to face Rogue. "Right, Rogue?" he asked.

He nodded his head. "Yeah. Lector is right." he agreed. Despite wanting to have his friend's back on this one, he can't deny that they speak the truth.

Sting looked at Lector incredulously. "Seriously?! I thought you would have my back on this!"

While they started arguing, Lucy and Yukino continued to catch up with each other, not letting their antics bother them. While they were doing this, Erza walked up to Minerva, wanting to talk with her. They haven't spoken much, and then some of which was during their fight in the Grand Magic Games.

"It is good to see all of you again. We weren't on the best of terms during the games, but hopefully now we can mend the relationship between our guilds." she said hopefully.

Minerva smiled at her and nodded her head in agreement. "Likewise. Although, now that my terrible excuse for a father is gone, things have begun to change for the better. There are still a few members that hold onto his beliefs, but that number is shrinking more and more every day." she responded.

This made Erza glad. The old way of Sabertooth was no way to treat your guildmates, and it is good that they are finally moving past it. "So, how has Issac been handling things?" she asked curiously. She remembered him becoming the guild master of Sabertooth, after the Grand Magic Games. Many were surprised at the news when it first got out, but he is a powerful mage, and he is one of the reasons why Sabertooth began to change for the better, to begin with. Erza can't think of anyone that would make a better guild master than him.

A small frown appeared on Minerva's lips, and she let out a small huff. "My darling has had it rough. With the appearance of these creatures, he has been busier than ever, especially with him still trying to eliminate the last traces of Jiemma's legacy of hatred and corruption. Still, for a new guild master, he has been doing rather well." she explained. That is also the reason why he couldn't make it to the conference. He had many things he needed to attend to, but Minerva promised her boyfriend that she would tell him what she learned at the conference.

After catching up with their friends from other guilds, the gates to Mercurius opened, which caught the crowd's full attention. The king, followed by Arcadios and several Rune Knights, stopped just outside the gates and made his way on top of a platform. This allowed him to look down at the large crowd, though the many flashes from the cameras nearly blinded him.

It took a moment before everyone got silent, but as soon as they did, he began to speak. "I thank you all for coming on such short notice." he said, his voice booming so that everyone could hear him clearly. "For those of you who don't know, I am Touma E. Fiore, the king of the Kingdom of Fiore. Many of you are already aware of this, but to many of those who are watching this broadcast, they more than likely don't know of me, or of Fiore." he announced.

To the natives of Fiore, this confused them. Who wouldn't know of the kingdom, let along the king? Meanwhile, those from Earth are eager to hear just what is going on.

"I know this will confuse many of you, but soon enough, it will all make sense." he reassured, sensing the doubt in some of the crowd. He cleared his voice again, before speaking. "To those from Fiore, I am sure that most of you are aware of the strange creatures who have started popping up across the kingdom. As for some of you, this may be of no surprise. About a month ago, a woman by the name of Diantha came to me, and she informed me of what these creatures really are. They are known as Pokemon, which are creatures with mystical powers, though it is not considered magic." he explained.

This both relieved and confused many people. They were glad to hear that something is finally known about these creatures, but what doesn't make sense is how they can have powers, if they aren't linked to magic. No one believed such a thing to be possible.

"They have been around for thousands of years, but none of us realized this, because the truth is that we are no longer in Earthland." he announced, earning gasps of shock from most of the crowd. "I can explain, but there is someone here who has much more knowledge on the subject than I." he said, stepping down from the platform.

Taking a deep breath, Lowell stepped onto the platform with Greninja by his side. Many were a little suspicious, after seeing Greninja, but they waited for Lowell to speak. Though Lowell is still nervous, he quickly spotted the members of Fairy Tail in the large crowd. He couldn't find Levy with how many people there are, but he knows that she is there.

"My name is Lowell Falkov, and I am what is known as a Pokemon trainer. We go around and catch Pokemon, travelling through the different regions and aiming for whatever goal we have in mind. However, like the king had mentioned, you are no longer in Fiore." he explained. "Somehow, Fiore, as well as the entire continent of Ishgar, has been merged with our world, Earth. I am currently looking into what caused this sudden merge, and I have a couple of ideas, but I am not certain, yet."

"So, you are saying that we are currently in a kingdom from another world?" a reporter from Earth asked. Her camera guy is behind her, recording the event.

Lowell nodded his head in response. "Yes. Although, compared to Earth, things in Earthland are much different. The king also mentioned magic, earlier, and that is because, unlike in our world, magic has always existed in Earthland." he explained. Although, this also helps explain something else that has been on everyone's minds. "I'm sure many have noticed by now, but the Pokemon have started to communicate in our language, which isn't normal. Magic is responsible for this. Upon Ishgar merging with Earth, magic also became a part of our world. This means that…" he took a small pause, lifting his arm and creating fire with his magic. "Even though we are not from Earthland, we are capable of possessing and controlling different types of magic."

The natives to Earth couldn't believe their eyes. They just witnessed a human summon fire, which to them, should be impossible unless he were a Pokemon.

"So cool!" a voice exclaimed, making everyone's attention turn towards a blonde-haired man holding a notepad. He is very quickly writing notes down, so that he doesn't forget a single detail.

Lowell inwardly sighed, having overheard some mages mentioning the easily excitable reporter from Sorcerer's Weekly. He is surprised that Jason hadn't made an outburst, sooner than he did.

The man just kept scribbling notes into his notepad, not paying attention to the looks given to him by members of the crowd, as well as other reporters. "So, not only are you able to command these mystical creatures, but you can also control magic like any other mage. So cool!" he exclaimed. "If you know how to use magic, then does that mean you joined a wizard's guild?" he asked.

The brown-haired trainer nodded his head, holding up his right hand, which bares the Fairy Tail emblem. "While I am in Fiore and investigating how Ishgar came to be a part of Earth, I will be acting as a member of Fairy Tail. By taking jobs, it will hopefully help me find the answers I am looking for."

This made sense to most people. Nothing would be solved if they just sat around, doing nothing. However, with that cleared up, now people are wanting to know more about Pokemon themselves. He already said that they aren't sure how their worlds collided like this, so there was no need to ask more questions, related to that.

"You said that you are a… Pokemon trainer." another reporter from Fiore restated. "How exactly do you capture these Pokemon, and how do you train them to follow your orders?" she asked.

Instead of directly answering her question, he took out a Pokeball from his pocket and through it into the air. In a flash of light, Crobat appeared, flying above Lowell and Greninja.

To those from Fiore, they were amazed at such technology. Some were reminded of Celestial Spirit Magic; however, they couldn't fathom that such technology actually existed.

"We trainers carry our Pokemon in devices called Pokeballs. Once they are caught, they cannot be caught by anyone else, and we also cannot have more than six Pokemon with us, at a time. If we catch anymore than that, then they are immediately stored somewhere else." Lowell quickly explained. "As for training them, that depends. Every Pokemon is different. Much like a snowflake, no two are the same, even if they look like the others of their species. There are some who treat their Pokemon like tools to achieve greater power and abuse them. Though, those people will never truly understand what it means to be a trainer."

This caught the intrigue of the Earthland natives. Instead of interrupting him, they stayed quiet, wanting him to explain what he meant.

Lowell looked up at the sky for a moment, pondering how he should explain it. However, once he figured that out, he looked back down at the crowd. "In a way, you can compare the relationship of trainer and Pokemon to that of the relationship between guildmates." he said, sparking interest in the members of different guilds. "I've learned some things since becoming a member of Fairy Tail." he said, directing his attention to the mark on his hand. "Everyone in Fairy Tail treats the other members like family. Despite appearance or background, they stand together, watching the other's back. They are comrades, supporting each other and sharing the hardships they may face. It is a special bond that isn't easily broken. They can be destructive, of course, but they've got it where it counts."

The members of Fairy Tail smiled at his words, and some even began to tear up. Levy is one of the latter, appreciating the fondness he has towards their guild and its ways.

"That is similar to how a trainer's relationship with their Pokemon should be. Yes, I may give them orders, but I never force them to do something they aren't comfortable with. They aren't things for me to simply use. They are my friends and family. I trust them with my life, and they trust me with theirs." he explained, exchanging smiles with his two Pokemon.

However, this wasn't enough for some members of the crowd. "Then how do you explain why they started attacking us, out of nowhere?!" an older reporter asked. "The way you described them, it makes them seem like they can do no wrong! Yet, these Pokemon have been causing havoc across Fiore!"

"The actions of some do not carry over to an entire species." Greninja interrupted, making everyone turn their attention to him. "Yes, there are Pokemon who tend to cause trouble. Lowell never said that every Pokemon did no wrong." he said, briefly thinking back to his days as a thief. "However, you must also realize that people are just as capable of causing havoc, just as much as Pokemon are."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "That is correct. I've seen people who have done such terrible things, all for their own idealisms, who would go so far as to destroy most of humanity to bring those idealisms to life." he said, a picture of Lysandre coming to the front of his mind. "While Pokemon can be destructive, there is no such thing as a bad Pokemon. Lately, what they have been trying to do is adjust to a situation in where they are in a new environment, with no real food source. Many even have children and loved ones to protect. If you were in the same position as them, you would more than likely react in a similar manner."

Though some don't want to admit it, he does have a point. If their family and friends were in danger, they would do anything to keep them safe. Although, they never once thought that these creatures were capable of such a thing. Until now, many just believed them to be monsters bent on causing chaos. However, that was a misjudgment on their part, from not knowing the full story.

"On Earth, we live together, learn together, and work together with our Pokemon. Sure, many of them have committed wrongs just like any person would, but we must look past that if we want to coexist with each other." he explained. "Everyone deserves second chances."

This message came across strong for Crobat and Greninja, as well as Lucy. She gave Klefki a second chance after she stole her Gate Keys. Klefki could've easily taken advantage of Lucy's forgiveness, but she has continued to take good care of her keys and hasn't run off with them again. She is making the most out of her second chance.

Still, Lowell knows that it will take more than that to convince the crowd. "I am aware that it is hard to believe, given your relationship with them for the past month. However, it is possible for you all to make your own connections with Pokemon." he said. After saying that, the members of Fairy Tail let out their respective Pokemon, causing those around them to gasp in shock.

The reactions to the different Pokemon varied. Many people were very surprised at how small and adorable some of them were, especially ones such as Charmander, Luvdisc, and Ralts. While others have seen and had bad experiences with Pokemon, many have yet to see a Pokemon, in person. A lot of the crowd were expecting more intimidating creatures, and yet what they see are cute, animal-like creatures. Charmander's tail has fire on it, but compared to the glare of an Arbok, it isn't very intimidating.

However, with all of the attention, Ralts began to get a little uncomfortable. He noticed all the eyes settled on him and the other Pokemon, and he huddled closer to Levy. She noticed his nervousness, so she picked him up in her arms in an attempt to calm him down.

Meanwhile, Charmander beamed at the attention. Although, this didn't help settle the minds of those around them, to know that Natsu has a potentially destructive creature at his command. To say the least, many people seemed a little nervous at the sight. Sting, on the other hand, was a little jealous. He wanted a Pokemon of his own, so that he could compete with Natsu.

Yukino took a closer look at Klefki, and she was surprised to see that she was holding onto Lucy's Gate Keys. She looked up at Lucy, raising a brow at her. "What is it doing with your Gate Keys?" she asked.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders in response. "Klefki are known for not letting go of keys that they like. I figure that they will be safe, with her keeping an eye on them." she responded. Though it still surprised Yukino that even Lucy has one of these Pokemon, she does admit that Klefki sounds very helpful.

"See? If my guildmates were able to form bonds with Pokemon, then it is possible for the rest of Fiore and Ishgar to do the same." Lowell responded, gathering the crowd's attention once more. "It won't happen quickly, of course. It will be a process; however, that doesn't mean that it can't still happen."

Still, some remain skeptical about it. "How would we even begin to do such a thing?" another reporter asked. "It isn't like we have those special balls in Fiore."

"That has already been settled." the king said, stepping back onto the platform. "Over the past month, Lowell and Diantha have been making preparations to have the necessary goods shipped to Fiore, as well as to set up factories to craft some of these items. Eventually, we will be able to produce these goods on our own, and we will have transportation to and from Fiore and the regions of Earth." he explained.

"This also leads to our final announcement." Lowell stated. This caught their attention once more. The members of Fairy Tail already knew what Lowell was referring to, but the others were still curious. "As a way for the people of Fiore to witness the bonds between human and Pokemon for themselves, a tournament will be held. It will be taking place next July, around the same time that the last Grand Magic Games was held. However, this tournament will be one where mages and Pokemon work together to compete in the different events." he explained.

Many in the crowd cheered at the thought of another tournament, especially the guilds present that took place in the recent Grand Magic Games. This will be another chance to show off their skills, as well as a way to form their own bonds with Pokemon.

Among those who are cheering is Sting, who has an excited, toothy grin on his face. "Ah, yeah! This time around, we are gonna show Natsu and Gajeel that we mean business!" he declared, pumping his fist in the air. Rogue doesn't show his excitement, but he is looking forward to a chance to try and surpass Gajeel.

However, Natsu ruined the moment with a hearty laugh. "Sorry, but we've got this in the bag. We've been learning a lot about Pokemon in the past month, and some of us already have our own Pokemon. We are already steps ahead of the rest of the competition. There is no way that we are gonna go down." he announced.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Lyon commented with a smirk on his face. "After all, this will involve working together with Pokemon. Since that is the case, I don't think you'll be much of a threat." he stated, remembering how Natsu likes to charge in on his own. He doubts that he can work with someone else, without getting into an argument.

Upon hearing this, Gray let out a small chuckle. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Natsu may be Natsu, and as much as I hate to admit it, he's gotten better in the past couple of weeks. You guys won't stand a chance against him, or the rest of Fairy Tail." he responded.

A tick mark appeared on Natsu's forehead, catching the hidden insult thrown at Natsu. "What was that supposed to mean?!" he asked angrily, causing Charmander to sweat-drop.

"It means he's calling you stupid, idiot." the Lizard Pokemon simplified for his partner.

Natsu began to yell at Gray, but he simply ignored him and continued arguing with Lyon.

"You sure talk big. Although, from what it seems, you don't have a Pokemon of your own, yet. I bet that I'll be able to get one way before you will, Gray." he said mockingly.

As the two Ice-make wizards continued with their arguing, their friends began to discuss their thoughts on the tournament.

Jura crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes closed. Though, a small grin is also present on his face. "I do agree that this will be an effective method of bringing together the people of Fiore and the people of Earth. It will be interesting, as well, to see how the different mages will interact with the Pokemon."

"I feel the same way. This will also be a chance for us to redeem ourselves from our last loss against Fairy Tail. They may have a slight advantage over the rest of us, but that doesn't mean they are invincible." Minerva stated. Despite the newly forged friendship between Fairy Tail and Sabertooth, there is no way that they will hold back against them in the competition.

Levy looked around at the others, giggling at how amped they were getting. "I understand why they are excited, but I think it might be a little overboard." she commented.

Ralts shrugged his shoulders in response, feeling just as excited as the others. Though the thought of being watched by a large audience bothers him, he can't wait for the chance to challenge himself, even further.

"The specifics of the tournament haven't been decided on yet, but there will be announcements once a final decision has been made." Lowell said. They are still thinking about different ways they can have the mages and Pokemon work together during the tournament, and it will take some time before they make up their minds. "The tournament will also be open to the natives of Earth, should they choose to travel to Fiore and join a wizard guild. By then, there should be a valid means of transportation between Fiore and the rest of the world, so this shouldn't be a problem."

Across the world, many trainers began to get excited for the new challenge ahead. Although, some were more interested in the possibility of learning magic. They never believed it was possible, but now that it is, they are going to take advantage of the opportunity.

After a few more questions were asked, the king concluded the press conference, and the crowd began to disperse. However, the press stayed behind, trying to get one-on-one interviews before any of the other reporters. Luckily, the guards managed to hold them back, which allowed Lowell, Greninja, Crobat, the king, and Hisui to get inside Mercurius' gates.

* * *

Once they were safely inside the castle, Lowell let his back slide down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He raised his head until he was looking directly at the ceiling, letting out a sigh of relief. It was over. He managed to speak in front of all of those people, without freaking out or losing focus. Though, he felt as if his heart would burst out of his chest, any second.

A small, delicate hand touched his shoulder, and he looked to his left to see the princess smiling at him. "There was nothing for you to be nervous about. You did well." she commented.

Greninja nodded his head in agreement. "You didn't panic, and you got the job done. All of that worrying was for nothing." he said.

"You definitely could've done worse." Crobat responded.

"I'm just lucky that they understood the situation, for the most part. Though, I suppose this isn't anything too crazy for the people of Fiore. After all, magical creatures are an everyday thing, here. Those existed before Pokemon began to show up. So, it is the people of Earth I am afraid will react poorly." Lowell explained. They may be used to Pokemon, but magic is another story.

The king huffed, shaking his head. The boy had done his job, yet he is still worried about things out of his control. "Don't worry about that, for now. You've done what was needed of you. Let Diantha and the other champions deal with things, in the other regions." he said calmly. There is no way that Lowell can deal with everything by himself. He needs to let others handle some of the responsibility.

Though he wants to do more, he understands the kings reasoning. "Alright. I guess you have a point." he said as he stood up. Although, now he has another problem to deal with. "How am I going to get past those reporters?" he asked. He will be staying in Crocus for one more night, since the hotel room the king arranged for him is booked for another night. However, he won't be able to even leave Mercurius, with all the media surrounding the castle walls. Of course, the guards could just send them away, but it wouldn't be good to accidentally hurt one of them in the process.

The king rubbed his chin in thought. "That is a good question." he said. They were lucky enough to get inside the castle without getting swarmed. Getting out will be another challenge, all in its own.

"Perhaps we can get out, through the back?" Greninja suggested. There isn't a gate in the back, but that means that there should be less people there, than in the front of the castle.

Deciding that it was better than nothing, Lowell nodded his head. "Alright, then. If need be, we can use Smokescreen to distract them while we get out of here." he responded.

With everyone in agreement on the plan, Lowell, his Pokemon, and the princess went around the back of the castle. The king would've gone with them, but he chose to stay near Arcadios, in case things with the media get out of hand. Though, Lowell needed someone to guide him, to make sure that he didn't get lost in the process.

It took them a while, but once they finally reached the back of Mercurius, they noticed that there were very few people outside the walls. A majority of them must still be in the front, trying to get through the gates.

Lowell called Crobat back into his Pokeball, and he thanked the princess for her help. Afterwards, he and Greninja climbed over the walls, and they headed down an alleyway that should get them to their hotel without being seen. He would rather not draw attention to himself, otherwise he may not be able to get back to the hotel before it turns night.

Little did they know, that two men were watching them from the rooftops. One of them is Gale, and standing next to him is his brown-haired guildmate. Each of them are wearing cloaks, Gale's being gray and his friend's being blue. Once they heard of the press conference being held in Crocus, Astro had them come to the city to find out what was going on.

Gale examined Lowell with curious eyes. "He doesn't seem all that impressive. Though I guess looks can be deceiving, after all." he commented. "Still, this could explain why Maelstrom didn't work, the first time around. We should report this to the master, right away." he said. However, he noticed that his friend still has his gaze set on Lowell and Greninja. "Is something wrong, Dalis?" he asked. The brown-haired mage is normally very silent, but ever since the Pokemon began to show up, he has been in deep thought, most of the time.

"Nothing is wrong, Gale. I'm just thinking about the whole situation, is all." he responded calmly.

While he knew there was more to it than just that, Gale knew better than to pry into Dalis' thoughts. He has always kept his thoughts and past a secret to the rest of Midnight Albatross, but as long as it doesn't hinder their plan's success, then there is no need to worry about it. After all, he isn't the only one with things he wants to keep to himself.

With a sigh, Gale let go of the subject. "Alright, then. Anyways, we should return to the others. I doubt Astro will be very pleased about the news, but he still needs to hear it."

As the two of them went to leave, Dalis took one last look at the fleeting pair of Lowell and Greninja. _"Next time, you and I are going to have a chat."_ he thought before jumping from the roof and disappearing into the alleyways along with Gale.

* * *

The next morning, Lowell and Greninja headed towards the train station. They will be heading back to Magnolia, with a couple of guild members that stayed behind. However, after the conference yesterday, it has been hard for him to do anything without people recognizing him and stopping him to talk. He told them that they were in a hurry, but that didn't stop them, or a few lingering reporters, to try and get some sort of interview.

After about an hour of running, the two of them finally managed to shake off the media and arrived at the train station. A couple people sent stares their way, but they realized that he was probably busy, and they didn't attempt to speak with him, much to his relief.

Lowell looked around for a moment, until he spotted a familiar head of blue hair. He smiled, already knowing who it belonged to. Plus, it helped that Natsu and Gray were also present, making it obvious where they were. He and Greninja were quiet, sneaking behind Levy. When she still hadn't realized he was behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump out of surprise. When she heard the laughter, she turned around and sent a small glare at Lowell. Although, it made her look cuter than it did menacing.

"That wasn't funny. That scared me." she said, but Lowell just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"It seemed funny to me." he responded, with Greninja nodding his head in agreement.

The clank of metal caught Lowell's attention, and he looked up to see Erza standing above Natsu and Gray, both of which have big lumps on their head. "Those two will never learn." she commented before noticing Lowell. She sent a small smile at him. "You did well, yesterday. You didn't seem very nervous, either."

Lowell let out a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Like hell I wasn't nervous. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. It was a miracle I made it through the entire event without stuttering." he responded.

"Well, it's over now, which means that we can all head back to the guild. Then things can get back to normal." Lucy commented.

Getting over her initial anger at Lowell, Levy giggled. "Well, as normal as things can be. After all, I have a feeling lots of things are going to be changing, now that the tournament has been announced."

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "I honestly don't care if things change. Surely, it will be for the better, given now that people will hopefully think before attacking a Pokemon in the wild. I am just glad that I won't have to give another speech like that, at least for a while." he responded. Hopefully he doesn't have to do that again, but if he could do it once, than it shouldn't be too difficult the next time.

The seven of them got on a train, which resulted in Natsu knocked out cold and lying in Erza's lap. Lowell is sitting across from Levy, watching as she and Lucy talk about something that Lowell immediately decided was girl talk, and ended up tuning out. However, now that the press conference is done, that leaves him to deal with his feelings towards Levy. He isn't going to talk to her about it right away, since things will most likely be very busy, once returning to the guild. However, it is something that he needs to think about.

He inwardly sighed, struggling to think of how he is going to tell her. _"I never thought that love would be so stressful."_ he thought.

* * *

In the Hoenn Region several miles outside Fortree City, a girl in her late teens can be seen flying above the forest on the back of her Skarmory. She has long, auburn hair that flows midway down her back. Her eyes are hazel-brown, and her skin has a slight tan to it. She is wearing a sky-blue jacket over a white sleeveless shirt. Her skirt is a little darker than her jacket, and the back of her jacket has green symbol on the middle of it. It slightly resembles a pair of fangs with a gem in between them, near the top.

Skarmory continued to fly for several minutes, until they came across a small clearing. "There it is, girl. Take us down." the trainer ordered, to which Skarmory gladly complied.

The Armor Bird Pokemon swooped down into the forest, landing a couple of feet away from a the edge of the clearing. Her trainer hopped down from her back and walked around to the front of her, petting her gently on the head.

"Will that be all, Vesta?" she asked politely.

The girl, now known as Vesta, simply nodded her head, smiling. "Yes. You can rest, now. That was quite a long flight." she responded, letting Skarmory return to her Pokeball. She doesn't like to overexert her Pokemon, but Skarmory was the quickest way to arrive at her destination.

After her Pokemon was safely returned in her Pokeball, Vesta took a couple of steps into the depths of the forest, until she came across a small clump of bushes. She brushed aside some of the leaves, revealing a passageway leading underground. After moving into the narrow passageway, she recovered the entrance, in case someone were to accidentally stumble upon it.

The walk down the stone stairs was long, and her footsteps echoed around her. The passageway is dark, only lit up by a few torches hanging from the walls. However, she couldn't tell how far down she was, until she reached a metal door.

Next to the door is a padlock, with a small slot for a card to go. Vesta took out a key card from her pocket and inserted it into the padlock, resulting in the door sliding open for her. She stepped past the door, the door closing behind her.

She navigated her way through the pristine, white walls the same way she has hundreds of times before. Occasionally, she will pass by one of her coworkers, dressed similarly to her. They would stand at attention and wish her good morning, and she would simply wave at them and mutter a quiet greeting.

 _"_ _They need to stop doing that. Most of them are older than me, and yet they treat me differently because of my rank. It's not like I earned it."_ she thought.

She turned right down another hallway, and she kept going until she reached a dead end. The only thing at the end of the hall is a single door. Though, most people don't come here, unless given orders. Otherwise, they try to stay as far away as possible.

Vesta lightly knocked on the door, as to not hurt her knuckles, and she used her key card on the padlock when she heard the voice telling her to come in. When the door opened, it revealed a large room with various shelves and machines scattered about the place. Unlike the rest of the base, this room has wooden floors, as well as rugs. A large desk sits near the back of the room, where a woman is sitting, typing something into her computer.

She appears to be a middle-aged woman with short, silver hair stopping at the base of her neck. A single bang blocks her left eye, and her eyes are a crimson red. Like Vesta, Aria is wearing a blue jacket and white shirt, but she is wearing a pair of pants instead of a skirt. She also has a pair of silver, loop earrings dangling from her ears.

When she realized it was Vesta who walked in, she looked away from her computer and gave her a warm smile. "I'm glad that you were able to make it, Vesta. I know that it must've been a long flight from Rustburro." she said.

Vesta shook her head. "It wasn't a problem, Harper." she responded. However, this made Harper sigh.

"How many times to I have to tell you to stop calling me by my first name? Just call me mom, or mother." she said. They aren't actually related, but Harper adopted Vesta, when she was in her early teens.

Realizing her mistake, she tried to fix it. "Sorry about that…mom. It just feels weird talking to my superior, so casually." she responded.

The older woman just waved it off, not being at all mad at the younger girl. "It's fine. Anyways, it is time that we get to business." she said, getting serious. "I believe that you, as well as most of the world, saw the event that was broadcasted across the world."

Vesta nodded her head in affirmation. She can still hardly believe what she heard, but it would explain why her Pokemon suddenly started talking. "If it didn't explain the strange things that have been happening lately, then I wouldn't believe it." she responded.

Harper nodded her head in agreement. "Well, I believe that something related to magic is the reason why our attempt at summoning Kyogre and Groudon failed. I'm not sure how, but with both events happening around the same time, it is the only thing that makes sense, to me." she explained.

"That was what I was thinking, as well." Vesta agreed. They were preparing for so long. There was no way that their plan could've failed, unless some outside source interfered. "I can only assume that you have a plan, if you called me here just to talk about this."

"Yes. I want you and Kai to take some of our best members to Fiore. Once there, you will search for the disruption that caused a flaw in our plan." Harper explained.

Hearing this shocked Vesta, a little. "You would send two of your admins, just to do some research? This must be really important, then."

Harper nodded. "I don't want our plans to be foiled again, and I will take any measures possible to keep that from happening. I am trusting you and Kai with this. Do you think you can do it?"

Though it is a lot of pressure, she doesn't want to let her mother down. With confidence burning in her eyes, she accepted the task. "I do. I won't let you down, mom." she said.

Harper smiled. "I believe you. Now, go and tell Kai that you will be leaving, as soon as you gather enough members. I would love to catch up with you for a bit, but this is of the upmost importance."

Without any hesitation, Vesta left to tell her fellow admin of their newest mission. She only hopes that he takes things serious. She wouldn't want to fail another mission, because of his lack of dedication.

Once Vesta was gone, Harper took another look at her computer and the strange energy readings she has been trying to analyze for the past month. The smile on her face soon changed to a serious frown. "Team Tempest will not be made a mockery of again. Whoever or whatever caused this; you will not ruin our plans again."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that ends this chapter! I'm sorry about the long wait, but I've been really caught up with college, for the past week or so. I meant to have this chapter up yesterday, but once again, things managed to come up and ruin that. However, I hope that the wait for the next chapter won't be as long. Though, only time will tell.**

 **Also, as you can probably see, Minerva has herself a boyfriend in this story. I thought that it would be an interesting twist. There will be more about their relationship in future chapters, but for now, I will give the basics. Issac joined Sabertooth in the earlier years, and that is when he and Minerva got to know each other. Instead of becoming what her father intended for her to become, Issac was the one who helped her stay a kind person. Again, more will be disclosed later on, but I wanted to give a brief explanation, so that everyone would understand why Minerva is still a member of Sabertooth, at this point.**

 **Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please leave a comment, because it is greatly appreciated. Anyways, like always, have a great day, or night!**


	18. Chapter 18

Deep in the forest near Magnolia, an explosion reverberates through the trees. Startled by the loud noise, birds flock away from the forest, and small Pokemon try to find a safe hiding place. They fear that a larger Pokemon had gone on a rampage; however, that is not the case. Instead, in a small clearing, five figures can be seen, two of which being human, and the other three being Pokemon.

Lowell and Levy stand across from each other, while Crobat and Noctowl are both hovering above them. For the past month, they have been training in between jobs. Crobat has been helping Noctowl improve his skills against other Flying-type Pokemon, while Gardevoir has been helping Ralts improve his psychic abilities. Right now, Crobat and Noctowl are sparring, with the Flying/Poison-type having some difficulties against the old owl.

Even though Noctowl isn't a Psychic-type Pokemon, it's Psychic-type attacks still do quite a bit of damage against Crobat. Despite his old age, Noctowl isn't a pushover. He has still retained his wisdom and power from his earlier years.

"Crobat, use **Sludge Bomb** , one more time!" Lowell ordered with a swing of his arm.

"With pleasure!" Crobat responded. The Bat Pokemon got in closer to his opponent, before releasing a barrage of toxic sludge bombs from his mouth. The bombs flew through the air at an impressive speed, but it still left enough time for a counter attack.

Seeing a chance for an opening, Levy smiled. "Counter with **Air Slash**!" she ordered.

Noctowl complied without any hesitation and generated a powerful wind current with his wings. The sharp, blue blades of wind sliced through the air, colliding midway with Sludge Bomb and creating another loud explosion. The explosion caused a thick, black smoke to spread in the sky, blocking Noctowl from Crobat's view.

The Bat Pokemon peered into the smoke, trying to find where Noctowl would strike from. However, the smoke was too thick for him to see anything. Unsure of when his enemy would strike, he stayed a respectable distance away from the smoke, to avoid being surprised.

Moments later, a faint, colorful light could be seen shining through the smoke. Not long after, Noctowl came flying out of the smoke, his head glowing purple as he flew straight towards Crobat.

" **Zen Headbutt!** "

Levy hasn't forgotten that Zen Headbutt's effect won't work on Crobat, due to his Inner Focus ability cancelling it out. Though it is still super effective against him, so she hopes that will be enough to end the battle.

However, that hope died when she saw Lowell's smirk. "Not bad. You and Noctowl have definitely improved in the past month. Still, you've got a long way to go." he commented. "Crobat, let's wrap things up! Use Confuse Ray!" he ordered.

Crobat's eyes began to glow, before bright yellow orbs circled around his body. They shot towards Noctowl, whom attempted to dodge by flying higher. However, he couldn't move fast enough to avoid them. He became a bit dazed, and he ended up plummeting to the ground.

"Let's finish this with **Cross Poison!** " Lowell decided.

The Bat Pokémon's wings glowed a radiant purple. He flapped them, causing poisonous, purple blades in the shape of an 'X' to go flying down towards Noctowl. Noctowl noticed the blades coming, and he attempted to get away, but he stumbled a bit due to the confusion. Still in a daze, when he looked back up, he could barely react before the poisonous blades slammed into him, creating a small, purple explosion and a small crater in the ground.

It took a moment foe the smoke to clear, but once it did, it revealed Noctowl laying in the small crater, spirals in his eyes. Greninja, who was watching from the sidelines, took a step forward when he realized that Noctowl was unconscious. "Noctowl is unable to battle, which means that Lowell and Crobat are the winners." he announced.

Levy slumped her shoulders over in defeat. She expected as much, considering that it has been the same result every time that they had a battle. Still, they are slowly but surely getting better. She can't expect to beat Lowell, someone who can go toe-to-toe with a champion, when she is still a relatively new trainer. Though, she didn't worry about the defeat too much, remembering that Noctowl had been hurt during the battle. She ran over to him, checking for any serious wounds.

Of course, Lowell was two steps ahead of her, and before she could say anything, two berries were handed to her. One is a Citrus Berry to help restore Noctowl's health, and the other one is a Pecha Berry, in case he had gotten poisoned during the battle. She gave Lowell a quick, grateful smile before trying to feed Noctowl the berries. He is awake again, but most of his energy was used during the battle, making it hard for him to move. He ate the berries without any complaint, knowing that it would restore some of his energy.

"These old bones of mine definitely aren't what they used to be, but I'd like to think that there has been some improvement." he commented once he was done eating the berries.

Crobat smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "Of course. You managed to get some good hits in, now and again. You've already begun to improve since we started having these practice battles." he responded.

Soon, Levy returned Noctowl to his Pokeball, wanting to give him some time to rest. These training sessions have been tough, but they will be worth it, in the end.

"So, what is next on the agenda?" Levy asked. Normally, they return to the guild hall once they get some morning training done. Although, there are some days where Lowell decides to stay in the forest to rest for a while. She doesn't blame him, though, especially now that he managed to get a house built.

It took some time and work, but with the help of his Pokemon, Lowell managed to build a small cabin from logs that they gathered nearby. It is a single-story home, with two bedrooms, a small kitchen area, and a small living room. He didn't include a bathroom, since it would be too much work, and way too expensive, to set up plumbing. Since he normally just goes to the bathroom in the forest and bathes in lakes, he didn't see a need for a bathroom, at least not yet. He will probably add one in, once he saves up enough Jewel, if for no other reason than convenience.

Lowell stood there for a moment, humming in thought. They finished training for the morning, and he doesn't really feel like cooping himself up in the house at the moment, so he might as well go to the guild hall. "I guess I'll go to the guild hall, today. I might try to find a decent job, as well." he responded. He is a little low on Jewel, despite going on another job, a couple of days ago, so it would do him well to try and change that.

* * *

Crobat returned to his Pokeball, while Lowell, Greninja, and Levy all returned to Magnolia. Ever since the conference happened and travel was established between Fiore and the regions, a lot of things have been changing in the town. For one, there are a lot more tourists, many of which are trainers from across Earth. Some are interested in the tournament that was announced, whereas others simply want to see what Fiore has to offer. It isn't everyday that you get to visit a kingdom full of magic, after all. Though, that now seems to be the case.

The people of Magnolia have also begun to adapt to the Pokemon, or at least some of them have. Many still don't know how to feel about them, but others got used to it rather quickly. A couple of them have even caught their own Pokemon, now that there are stores that sell Pokemon-related goods. Even now, Lowell and the others can see children playing with small Pokemon, and a couple of shops that have integrated Pokemon into their workplace. To many, it is a strange sight, but to Lowell, Levy, and Greninja, it is a beautiful sight. As the days pass, people are becoming less and less afraid of the Pokemon.

Although, there are still jobs sent to guilds, related to problems caused by Pokemon. It can't be helped, but that just means that there is much more work that needs to be done, before Pokemon are fully accepted into the life of the people of Fiore.

"I still can't believe that so much has progressed in only a month." Levy commented. "I mean, it is nice, but I was expecting it to take it little longer." she clarified.

Lowell chuckled, but he still nodded his head in agreement. "I know. Though, there is still much to be done. The berry farms are still being set up around the kingdom, and it will still take some time before Pokemon Centers are established." he responded. At the moment, they are trying to find enough nurses who would be willing to work in Fiore, or those in Fiore who would be interested in becoming doctors for Pokemon. Although, there is also the matter of building the Pokemon Centers, as well. Like Lowell said, while things have improved in the past month, there is still much work to be done before they can say that everything has been settled.

Meanwhile, Greninja is trying to ignore that stares from those around them. Now that they know about Pokemon, they don't think it is weird to see a tall, blue frog walking on two legs through the streets. Though, now that Lowell and Greninja have been seen live throughout the kingdom, they often get stares, because people know that they are important, in some way. Although, it annoys Greninja, far more than it does Lowell. "It was one press conference, and suddenly we are like celebrities." he commented irately.

Lowell sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Calm down. I don't like it either, but there is nothing that can be done about it." he responded. Even if he doesn't see them, he can still feel the stares on the back of his head, and it makes him feel uncomfortable. Though, causing a scene over it won't do any good. "Let's just hurry up and get to the guild hall, if it makes you uncomfortable."

Greninja huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, keeping his mouth shut. Although, after taking a closer look at Lowell and Levy, he smirked upon seeing them walking close together, holding the other's hand. "I wouldn't worry about that. It looks like the two of you are enjoying yourselves." he wryly commented.

At first, Lowell and Levy had no clue what he was referring to, until they looked down and noticed their conjoined hands. With blushes on their faces, they quickly separated they hands and took a step away from each other. The sight made Greninja laugh. Though, this has been happening a lot more, recently.

Lowell still hasn't confessed his feelings to Levy, but that is because he hasn't figured out how he was going to tell her. Despite saying that he would do it after things calmed down a bit, he just hasn't found the right time, yet. Still, they've gone on more "dates" like the first one, and it has only seemed to strengthen their feelings for each other. Now, they often find themselves holding hands or getting close to each other, without realizing it, at first. Jet and Droy would often try to separate them when they saw them doing this in the guild hall, but eventually, they just gave up, realizing that it wasn't going to matter.

Levy's blush intensified, embarrassed that she had grabbed his hand again, without even realizing it. She knows that it is her that grabbed his hand, because whenever she does it, she ends up nearly leaning her head against Lowell's shoulder.

 _"_ _I need to stop doing that, otherwise people will get the wrong impression."_ she thought, her eyebrows knitting together a little. _"Although, I guess that wouldn't be a bad thing. I wouldn't mind making things official between us, but I don't know if Lowell feels the same way. Maybe it would just end up being a distraction for him."_

"Are you alright, Levy?" Lowell asked, snapping Levy out of her thoughts. He noticed the look of concentration on her face, thinking that something that be wrong.

In response, Levy shook her head. She didn't want him knowing what she was thinking about, so she decided to just act as naturally as possible, putting a small smile on her face. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about what kind of nonsense we'll walk into, once we arrive at the guild hall." she half-lied. She is curious as to what shenanigans their guildmates will be up to, though that isn't what she was thinking about, just now.

Seemingly believing her, he just nodded his head in understanding. "Well, we'll know soon enough. Let's keep going." he said, before the three of them continued to walk through the overly crowded town.

While they were walking, it was rather hard for Lowell to stop himself from grabbing Levy's hand again. Though embarrassing, he does find it to be comforting when they hold hands. Though, if he ever said that out loud, Greninja may never let him hear the end of it.

* * *

Once they finally reached the guild hall, they heard the familiar sound of a brawl going on from outside the doors. However, the brawl going on right now is much different than the usual ones. When they walked through the doors, instead of finding the different members fighting each other and destroying the guild hall, they discovered that it was the Pokemon that were causing the commotion. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the Pokemon to take on the same destructive nature of their new trainers, which is causing Master Makarov to pay even more for collateral damage than before.

As they passed through the door, a bluish-black blur went flying past them and into a wall, leaving a small, body-shaped hole in it. The weasel-like Pokemon growled low, landing on a single knee and glaring up at Charmander. "I am going to show that burnt lizard not to mess with these claws." he said angrily, his claws glowing for a moment before returning to normal, indicating the use of Hone Claws. He charged after the laughing Fire-type, attempting to strike him with his claws, making Lowell and Levy sweat-drop.

"We really should've seen this coming." Lowell commented flatly, to which Levy agreed.

"We should have. Considering the rivalry between Gray and Natsu, we should've expected that to happen with their Pokemon, too." she responded. Thankfully, they don't have as much power as Gray and Natsu, not yet at least, so they shouldn't cause too much damage…hopefully.

About two weeks ago, Gray went out on a job to Mt. Hakobe, in search of a creature that was causing massive avalanches. When he returned, he had a Sneasel with him, and the Ice/Dark-type kept referring to Gray as his teacher. It caused a lot of confusion at first, until Gray was able to explain that Sneasel was causing those avalanches by accident, while he was training. He liked Sneasel's resolve, and so he offered to help with his training, if he would stop causing the avalanches, which leads to now.

"Hey. At least they are training, in a way. It is destructive, but at least we know they aren't just slacking around." Greninja commented. Though, he winced when he saw Macao's Magmar get tossed back-first into a table. "Still, it wouldn't do any harm if they would kick it back a notch." he added.

Standing triumphantly over the fallen Magmar is a familiar, four-armed Pokemon, now with a black Fairy Tail emblem on his chest. Machamp looked down at Magmar, a big smile on his face. "Not bad, but not manly enough to beat me." he declared. A large, muscular arm then clasped him on the shoulder, belonging to none other than Elfman.

"Now that is how a real man fights!" he announced.

As Lowell, Levy, and Greninja sat down at the bar, they could hear the groans from some of the other guild members. It was a shock to the three of them when Elfman came back with Machamp in toe, but the shock quickly changed to cringe when Machamp adopted the same mantra as his trainer.

* * *

 _About a week after the conference in Crocus, Lowell and the others were sitting quietly in the guild hall after getting back from a job. Mira had just placed drinks down at their table, when the doors to the guild burst open. In the middle of the doorway was an excited Elfman, holding a new Pokeball in his hand._

 _"_ _Hey, everyone!" he called out, making most of the other members turn their heads to face him. "I met this manly Pokemon during my latest job, and he decided to come along with me after seeing my guild mark. Apparently, he is friends with Lowell and Levy." he said, catching the two trainers' interests. Elfman refers to so many things as manly at this point, that it is hard to determine what Pokemon exactly he was referring to._

 _When Elfman released Machamp from his Pokeball, Lowell and Levy's eyes widened in surprise, while Greninja just grinned to himself. He hadn't expected this, but he had a feeling he knew why Machamp agreed to come back to Fairy Tail with Elfman. After all, he did the same thing when he decided to join Lowell's team._

 _Machamp waved at the three of them with all of his hands, giving them a big smile. "Hey. It's been a while, hasn't it?" he greeted._

 _Levy nodded her head in agreement, smiling as well. "It has." she responded. Though, her brows then furrowed in thought. "Still, why are you here?" she asked curiously._

 _The Superpower Pokemon clapped a hand on Elfman's back. "Well, I saw this big guy fighting a couple of thugs in a town, not too far from here. I decided that I would give him a helping hand, even though he didn't really need it." he explained, knowing that Elfman rivaled him when it came to brute strength. "After we took care of them, he thanked me for the help and I noticed the symbol he had on him. I recognized it from seeing it on you and Lowell, so I asked him if he knew you. When he said that you were his guild mates, I thought that I would be able to meet you again, if I went along with him."_

 _That made enough sense to Lowell, though he was still curious as to why he was so close to Magnolia, to begin with. "I thought that you were staying with the other Pokemon, in the forest near Camellia Town?" he assumed._

 _Machamp nodded. "I was, but then I decided to leave the forest on my own and make up for the mistakes I made, when you were in Camellia down." he said somberly. "It took a beating to get through to me, but it was thanks to you that I realized my mistakes. I have been trying to use what you taught me to change for the better, and I figured that I could do that, by becoming a part of Elfman's team and becoming a member of Fairy Tail." he explained._

 _Master Makarov smiled, proud that one of his children was able to set someone down the right path. "Welcome to the family. It gets a little hectic around here, but I'm sure that you'll get used to it, after a while." he said, earning cheers from various members of the guild. Not only was another Pokemon added to their guild, but they also received a new family member._

* * *

Mira giggled, watching as her brother and Machamp started fighting again. She finds it funny that they've become so alike over the course of just a couple of weeks. "It has definitely made things livelier around the house. Though, Machamp is a bigger help than I thought he would be. Whenever he and Elfman aren't training, he often helps me with errands for the guild. You wouldn't be able to tell from his appearance, but he is a big sweetheart." she happily commented before getting back to work.

Coincidentally, she said that just as Machamp used Vital Throw to toss Gajeel's Lairon into the wall. "Yeah. A total sweetheart." Levy sarcastically said.

For several minutes, they just sat in silence, watching the various fights taking place. Lowell finished his drink, and he decided that he would go check out the job request board. Maybe there is something related to Pokemon that he could take. He is also hoping for one with a higher reward, since he is almost completely broke, after building his house and buying furniture. According to the king and the Magic Council, they are attempting to set up a system to convert Earth's currency to Jewels, and vice versa. Though, until that is set up, he will have to make do with going on jobs and earning Jewel, just like everyone else.

When he walked up to the request board, he noticed that Wendy and Erza were both taking a look at the different jobs. They also have their Pokemon partners by their sides, helping them make a decision. Wendy is kneeling down so that she can show the flyer to her blob-like companion, and Erza is looking at another one with a floating sword.

"What do you think about this one, Goomy?" Wendy asked hopefully. So far, he has let his nerves get the best of him, and he panicked upon reading many of the requests. She tried to assure him that he would be fine since Erza was tagging along with them, but that didn't do much to comfort him.

"Why does everything sound so dangerous?" he questioned. To him, even fighting simple bandits seems too dangerous. Sure, with his different moves he may be able to catch an opponent off-guard, but that doesn't change that he isn't much of a fighter. The only reason why he agreed to become Wendy's Pokemon is because she saved him from a group of poachers, and he thought that she was really nice.

Carla crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head. "There is no need to be so afraid. With Wendy and Erza there, you don't need to worry about a thing. Erza is an S-class wizard, and though Wendy isn't the most confident fighter, she would be able to heal you if anything went wrong." she explained.

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "Besides, you will never grow stronger if you never overcome this fear of yours. It is alright to be afraid, but letting your fear prevent you from even trying will hinder your progress." she said. Honedge stayed quiet by her side, but she agreed with her trainer's words.

Goomy pouted, even though he knows that they are right. He has always ran from fights, because he was afraid. Though, he can't do that, anymore. Before, he was the only one that would be affected by his timid nature. However, now he has a trainer, and his fear of danger can end up getting her hurt, and he doesn't want to see that happen.

Before Goomy could respond, Lowell came from behind, startling the Soft Tissue Pokemon. He retreated behind his trainer, who was gently petting his head to calm him down.

Lowell sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, stifling a laugh. "Sorry about that. I was coming to check out the different jobs, and I thought I'd say hey."

Wendy smiled and him and shook her head. "It's alright. I guess Goomy still hasn't warmed up to everyone, just yet." she responded. She only caught him about a week ago, and he is kind of like her regarding his shyness. Wendy is hoping that he grows out of it as he becomes more comfortable around the others like she did, but she knows that it will take some time before that happens. It took her some time to adjust, as well, so she will be patient with him and hope for the best.

"I wouldn't worry, too much. He is in a new environment with new people. Dragonite felt the same way when she first joined our team as a Dratini. She was shy, and she also wasn't a big fan of fighting. Although, as she grew stronger and spent more time with us, she became more confident in herself and less awkward around us." Lowell explained. It took a while before she was able to adjust, but if she can do it, then so can Goomy.

Hearing this made Wendy curious. From what she has seen, Dragonite is always getting into fights with Charizard. She would've never imagined that she was once like Goomy. "Hey. Lowell, if you wouldn't mind, could you maybe tell us about how you and Dragonite first met?" she asked. "I am curious, and maybe hearing the story would help give Goomy a bit more confidence." she explained.

Humming, Erza nodded her head in agreeance. "I too would like to hear this story. We were going to head out on a job, but we were planning on leaving tomorrow, anyways. We have time to listen." she responded. She turned to get Honedge's opinion, and she was indifferent.

After thinking about it for a moment, Lowell figured that it wouldn't hurt to tell them about it. It might help Goomy get over some of his timidity, and it is a rather fond memory. Well, having Dragonite join his team was a fond memory. What led up to it wasn't as happy.

"Alright, but it may take a while, so I suggest that we take a seat first." he said. The others agreed, and they went back to the table Lowell had been sitting at with Levy and Greninja before. Greninja already knows the story since he was there when it happened, but Levy is just as curious as the others. Once they were all comfortable, Lowell started to reminisce the tale of when he first met the hot-headed Dragon-type. "It all happened a couple of months before I took on Diantha at the Kalos League. I had just obtained my eighth gym badge, and I had to travel on Route 21 to reach the Victory Road."

* * *

 _After defeating the Snowbelle City gym leader, Wulfric, Lowell and Greninja found themselves nearing Victory Road. They've been travelling for close to three years, and they've finally made it to this point. They've created a family which they could trust their lives to, and they've succeeded in doing things that some could only dream of doing. To think that soon, their journey may be coming to an end, it both excited them and terrified them. They didn't want this journey to end, but they know that when one door closes, another one soon opens, and they couldn't wait until the next adventure unfolded._

 _However, they don't plan on ending their first adventure so quickly. The Kalos League isn't going to be a walk in the park, so even though they've made it to this point, they are going to spend a couple extra months training to make sure that they are ready. There is no point in rushing things. Hence why they are taking a break to rest their feet._

 _Both of them found shade underneath a large tree near a lake, sitting back-to-back of each other. Their eyes are closed, and they are taking in the sounds of nature and enjoying the cool breeze that drifted by. Moments like this are some of their favorites, because they don't have to worry about fighting psychopathic billionaires or training. It is just them enjoying the other's company, and the beauty of nature._

 _They stayed like this for nearly an hour, not tempted to get up any time soon. However, what ended up ruining the peace and quiet was the sound of hearty laughter, and then the sudden cry of what seemed to be a small Pokemon. Lowell and Greninja opened their eyes simultaneously, and they exchanged a brief glance with each other, already knowing what the other was thinking. They got up and were immediately on the search for the Pokemon that they had just heard cry._

 _It didn't take them longer than a couple of minutes to find a man further down the route, followed by a Diggersby. The man is rather large, wearing a brown hunter's jacket, a navy-green shirt, and a pair of black pants with matching black boots. He has short, black hair covered by a navy-green cap, and a short, black beard._

 _Sitting on the ground in front of him is a small, metal cage. Lowell's eyes widened when he realized what was inside the cage. It was a small, blue, serpent-like Pokemon with a white strip on its belly. It has bruises all over its body, and it is covered in mud and dirt. It is obvious that the Pokemon is in pain and sad, as it desperately tries to escape from its iron prison. However, since it has been weakened, nothing the Dragon-type tries is enough. The sight made Lowell and Greninja's blood burn with anger._

 _As the small Dragon-type tried to escape, the man and Diggersby continued to laugh. "You can struggle all you want. You may have the potential of being strong, but right now, all you are is a pathetic small fry who can't even fight back. Still, considering how rare you are, you'll earn me quite the fortune." he said. He then had Diggersby pick up the cage, and he was about to place it in the trunk of a nearby truck. However, before the Digging Pokemon could set the cage down, a blue blur passed by him, swooping up the cage and disappearing._

 _The Pokemon and poacher blinked for a moment, processing the fact that their catch had been taken from them. However, once they got over the surprise, it then soon transformed into anger. How dare someone try to mess with his potential riches. He turned around, and he glared at Lowell and Greninja, seeing that the cage is safely behind them._

 _"_ _Who do you two think you are?!" the poacher asked angrily. "I caught that Pokemon fair and square. You have no right to take it from me!" he growled. It was meant to intimidate them, but it did nothing of the sort. Instead, Lowell scowled at the older man, disgusted by his kind._

 _"_ _Who we are doesn't matter. All that matters is that we are preventing you from taking this Pokemon from her home and selling her for a profit." Lowell declared. "It is people like you that make me feel sick. We won't just stand there and let you get away with your greedy plan."_

 _(That's right!") Greninja agreed. Lowell and the poacher couldn't understand what he said, but his message was clear._

 _Dratini looked at the two that had just saved her, shocked that they would do such a thing. Humans have only ever tried to capture her and take advantage of her rarity to make a quick fortune. She has never been treated so kindly by one, before. Just by taking one look at Lowell, she can tell that he is much different than the others of his kind._

 _The brown-haired trainer looked back at the still frightened Dratini, giving her a reassuring smile. "There is no need to worry. Just wait a little bit longer, and you'll be safe from these two. Alright?"_

 _Dratini just nodded her head in response, still taken aback by the gesture. She has never trusted humans, but she feels that this is one human that has already managed to earn her trust._

 _The poacher clenched his fist in anger, threatening to stop to flow of blood to his knuckles. "I won't let you get away with freeing my ticket to riches! Diggersby, use_ _ **Dig**_ _to get it back!"_

 _The Digging Pokemon jumped into the air, spinning rapidly and using his ears to dig into the ground like an electric drill. The ground shook until Diggersby had completely disappeared underground, leaving Lowell and Greninja unaware of where he would strike from._

 _They stood perfectly still, staying vigilant of even the slightest tremors. For several moments, everything was silent, until Lowell began to feel the ground shake again. He quickly turned and grabbed Dratini's cage, moving out of the way. "Use_ _ **Scald**_ _whenever he pops out of the ground!" he ordered Greninja. Not even seconds later, Diggersby rose from the ground just inches away from where the cage previously was. He was prepared to grab the cage and get out of there, but instead, he was blasted in the face by a stream of boiling hot water, making him groan in pain and stumble backwards a few feet. While Greninja had Diggersby distracted, Lowell had called out Gardevoir and had her use her Psychic to pry the cage open._

 _Lowell is now standing, the injured Dratini held carefully in his arms. He noticed that her body had stiffened up when he picked her up, as well as winced from the pain. He could tell that she had a distrust in humans, but he had no intentions in hurting her. He smiled down at her again, wanting her to realize she was safe with him. "Like I said, you don't need to worry. I'll make sure that you are safe." he assured._

 _However, seeing Lowell with Dratini only seemed to further worsen the poacher's anger. "Don't let him get away with that Dratini! Diggersby,_ _ **Mud Shot!**_ _" he ordered._

 _Diggersby, despite the burn he received from Scald, flung balls of mud at Lowell and Dratini with his ears. He could care less if he ended up hurting the Dratini. As long as she was still alive, they could heal her before they sold her off to some rich buyer._

 _Though, the plan was destined to fail. Gardevoir used Psychic to catch the Mud Shot before it could reach her trainer and the Dragon-type. She then redirected the attack towards the poacher's truck, making the disgusting man's eyes widen in shock and anger. He watched helplessly as his truck was bombarded by the attack, causing the truck to blow up, leaving him without any form of escape._

 _Diggersby remained shocked at how his attack backfired, and he didn't notice that Greninja had appeared in front of him, with a thin, purple needle in his hand. "_ _ **Night Slash!**_ _"_

 _He was slashed across the chest, sending him flying back with a grunt of pain. However, that wasn't all he was in store for. Greninja jumped above Diggersby, kicking him into the ground. Before the Digging Pokemon could stand up, he was hit by yet another Scald, causing him to sink further into the ground and create a massive crater underneath him. Once Greninja was sure that Diggersby was unconscious, he allowed himself to return to his trainer's side._

 _Dratini watched wide-eyed as this trainer and his Pokemon saved her without much difficulty at all. They saved her just as easily as the poacher had captured her. She was amazed, and also hopeful that other humans could be like him._

 _Lowell glared at the poacher. "I suggest that you just give up and turn yourself in. Not only are you outnumbered, but you've lost your escape vehicle. You've lost." he told the man. Though the man seemed to not care. He stood there, unwavering, glaring daggers at Lowell. Of course, this did nothing to frighten the brown-haired trainer. At least, not until he saw the man reach into his jacket and pull out a pistol. He was well aware that Pokemon poachers are dangerous, but he wasn't expecting the man to pull out a gun on him._

 _Seeing how Lowell narrowed his eyes, the man smirked. "You may have beaten Diggersby, but I haven't gone this far to just turn myself in. I'm getting that Dratini, one way or another." he declared, ready to pull the trigger. However, what the man wasn't expecting was for the injured Dragon-type to leap out of Lowell's arms, heading straight towards the poacher._

 _Misunderstanding the Pokémon's intentions, he reached a hand out, thinking that she was giving herself up. Though, he found out just how wrong he was when Dratini wrapped her flexible body around him, using Constrict and tightening her hold on him. It was hard for her to do because of her injuries, but she wasn't going to let this man kill the person who had saved her without hesitation. Though she is still scared of him, she isn't going to let this poacher harm someone else because of her._

 _Lowell was shocked by Dratini's actions, but he found himself smiling anyways. She pushed through her fear to help a human, despite having a distrust towards them. By helping her, he opened a new door of opportunities for her._

 _The Dragon Pokemon tightened her hold on the man's arm even more, making him drop the pistol. In anger, the man grabbed Dratini with his other hand, prying her off his arm before attempting to throw her on the ground. This Dratini was doing a number on his nerves, and he was going to show her who was in charge._

 _"_ _You stupid little sh- "he was interrupted by a fist digging into his face. Lowell had lunged forward, punching the poacher as hard as he possibly could. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he may have heard something cracking. The man went flying back a couple of feet, landing on his back and looking straight up at the sky. His nose was bleeding and in an awkward position. Like Lowell had suspected, he broke the man's nose._

 _Before Dratini had hit the ground, Gardevoir had used her Psychic to catch her, allowing Lowell to gently take her into his arms again. He looked down at the panting Pokemon, a grateful smile on his face. "You were very brave, just now. He called you pathetic, but you've obviously got more potential than that. There is no need to worry anymore. Just rest, and we will take care of the rest." he insisted._

 _If she wasn't so exhausted and hurt, she would've protested. However, she didn't find it very hard to fall into a deep slumber._

 _After Dratini had passed out, Lowell called the police, and they showed up to place the poacher and Diggersby under arrest. They also gave Lowell a ride to the Pokemon Center in Snowbelle City, where Dratini was treated by Nurse Joy._

 _After being treated, Dratini just needed some rest, and she would be good as new. Lowell and Greninja told the nurse that they would watch over Dratini until she was able to leave the Pokemon Center. He wanted to make sure that Dratini made it home safely, as well._

 _Although, as he looked over the sleeping Dragon-type, he couldn't help but worry that something like this would happen again. More poachers would come, and Dratini would be in danger yet again. He didn't want to take her away from her home, but if she agreed, he wanted to bring her along with him. He could help her grow stronger and keep her safe from poachers in the process._

 _Dratini slept for several hours, until it became nighttime. She opened her tired eyes, and she immediately noticed that she was in a warm bed, instead of in a cold cage like before. She looked around, until she saw Lowell, asleep with his arms folded on the bed, with his head resting on top of his arms. It occurred to her that he had been watching over her for several hours, and it made her think back to when he had protected her from the poacher._

 _He was willing to put his own life at risk, just to help her. Sure, it could've been that he wanted to sell her like the other man, but she heard what he told the poacher. He couldn't stand men like that, and she could very much agree. She even leaped into action to try and protect him, despite her injured state. She didn't think that it would do much, but she couldn't stand the thought of Lowell getting hurt, after all he and Greninja had done for her. For once, she found herself worried for a human, and she ended up in deep thought, considering what she should do now._

 _Several days later, Nurse Joy informed Lowell that Dratini's injuries were healed, and that she could return home. Of course, Lowell offered to take Dratini there, which the Dragon Pokemon didn't deny. She still felt a little awkward around Lowell and Greninja, but when the trainer held her in his arms, she felt safe, which is something that she hasn't felt in a while._

 _The trip took two days, but they eventually made it to the lake where Dratini had been captured. It brought back bad memories for Dratini, but the place was still technically her home. The brown-haired trainer set her down near the edge of the lake, and she looked back at him. He was frowning a little, concerned about what may happen in the future._

 _"_ _The poacher has been arrested, which means that you can go back to your home. Although, I can't help but worry that something like this may end up happening again." he said. He looked down at Dratini, still frowning. "Was this the first time you were attacked by a poacher?" he asked._

 _Dratini looked to be a little hesitant, but after a while, she nodded her head. This wasn't the first poacher that had come after her, but it was the first one that was lucky enough to have actually caught her. Still, she lived in fear, never knowing when another poacher would come after her. She fought back, but if it wasn't for Lowell and Greninja, the man would've succeeded, and she would've been sold to who knows who._

 _Lowell kneeled in front of the small Pokemon, looking directly into her eyes. "I know that this is your home, but I can give you a new one, if that is what you wish. You will be much safer with my team and I to watch your back, and I assure you that you will be treated like another one of the family." he said, a warm smile plastered on his face. "You can stay here if you want. I won't force you, because I know exactly how hard it can be to leave your home for the first time. However, I can guarantee that you will be safe and loved if you decide to come with us." he added. Ultimately, it is her choice. He would love for her to join his team and family, but if not, then that is alright. He may even come visit her again, after taking on the Kalos League, just to make sure that she is doing alright._

 _Dratini blinked at him, not expecting this. She has been considering going along with him, after he stayed to look after her. However, she wasn't sure if that was what she truly wanted. What if she went with him, and then he turned out to be just like all the other greedy humans she has run into? However, he has proved to her that he isn't like that, and he genuinely cares about her safety. He doesn't treat Pokemon like tool to obtain power. He treats them like family, something which Dratini hasn't had in some time._

 _For several minutes, they stayed just like that. Lowell kneeling, and Dratini sitting still, thinking about the choice she should make. However, Dratini soon slithered closer to Lowell and rubbed her head against his hand. Lowell smiled, knowing the decision she had made. He reached into his backpack and took out a single Pokeball, holding it out towards her._

 _Dratini looked at the red and white ball for a moment, before tapping her head against it, enveloping her body in a red light. She disappeared into the Pokeball which shook three times, before finally stopping. Lowell had caught his sixth and final team member, finally completing his family._

* * *

After Lowell had finished telling the story, those at his table and some who were listening in from nearby tables were in tears. They were saddened by how there were poachers who took Pokemon from their homes and sold them for a profit, but they were also touched by how Lowell and Greninja had protected Dratini without another thought. Greninja was indifferent, but he remembers that day very well.

"Wow. You were right. I guess Goomy and Dratini are kind of similar." Wendy commented. She rescued Goomy from a group of poachers, like how Lowell rescued Dratini from a poacher.

Goomy agreed, but even Dratini was willing to fight back against her captor, in her injured condition. She didn't run away, unlike Goomy, who runs away from any sign of danger. Though, if she was able to fight back in those kinds of conditions, then whose to say that Goomy can't do the same thing? Even if he is scared, he can still change.

Levy was shocked after hearing the story. She has seen what Dragonite is capable of, as well as the rest of the guild. She went toe-to-toe with Natsu, and she beat him while she was still holding back. "I never imagined that Dragonite would've had such a past." she said.

Lowell nodded his head solemnly. "Each of my Pokemon have their own stories. Still, much like the members of Fairy Tail, the seven of us came together and created a family. Each of us may be different in our own ways, but that is what makes things exciting." he explained. He then turned to face Wendy and Erza. "If the two of you don't mind, I would like to accompany you on your job, tomorrow. I want to help Goomy get over his fears, like how I helped Dragonite get over hers."

Wendy smiled, nodding her head. "Of course. With you coming along with us, it should go a lot faster. Also, if it helps Goomy overcome his fears, then I am more than alright with it." she responded.

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "I believe it is a wonderful idea. Besides, this will be the first time you have ever gone on an official job with either of us. I am very much looking forward to see what you and your team are capable of in battle."

Lowell was about to go back to the request board to look at the different jobs. However, once again, he ended up getting distracted. Though, this time it was because of the sound of a familiar motor that he hasn't heard in quite some time. It was loud enough to catch the attention of most of the guild, and before any of them could do anything, they saw Lowell running outside. Greninja heard it as well, and he already knew what his partner was thinking.

Once outside, Lowell noticed the familiar red-painted motorcycle parked in front of the guild hall. The man sitting on the motorcycle is around Lowell's age, wearing a black-leather jacket over a long-sleeved, red shirt, a pair of black pants, and a matching pair of boots. He removed the red motorcycle helmet covering his head, revealing equally as red, spiky hair, and a pair of onyx eyes.

He got off his motorcycle, stretching his arms a bit. He is around the same height as Lowell, with a similar, muscular build. He looked towards the guild hall, smiling when he saw Lowell coming towards him. "Hey! Long time no see, buddy! I'm glad those people gave me the right directions. Half the time, I thought I was going the wrong way." he called out.

Lowell laughed, expecting something like that to come out of his mouth. "I'm not surprised. Though, why didn't you call me, to tell me that you were getting here, today?" he asked.

The man shrugged his shoulders in response, a playful grin on his face. "I wanted it to be a surprise." he responded. He then took note of Greninja behind him, giving the Ninja Pokemon a wave. "Hopefully he hasn't gotten the two of you into any trouble." he joked, earning a punch to the shoulder from Lowell.

"Not too much. Although, that is bound to change, eventually." the Pokemon responded, knowing their luck when it comes to dangerous situations.

Most of the guild is now outside, witnessing Lowell and Greninja interacting with the newcomer. It is obvious that they are friends, though, they weren't sure who it was.

"Um, Lowell, who is that?" Levy asked curiously.

Lowell looked towards the rest of the guild, aware that this was the first time they were meeting his friend. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize that he was showing up today, either." he told them. "Anyways, I believe that I've already mentioned him before, but this is Kurt Aldridge, my friend from the Hoenn Region." he introduced.

Kurt raised a single hand, smiling at the mages. "Yo." he greeted.

Some were surprised that the two of them were friends, considering how different they were. Kurt seems to be a much more chill person than Lowell, despite the brown-haired trainer easing up a bit after getting used to being around the other guild members.

However, the one member that took the most interest in Kurt's arrival was Fairy Tail's residential drunk, Cana. She smirked at the red-haired boy, not at all disappointed. "I've heard some things about you. How about you and I have a drink together, later?" she suggested with a small wink.

Lowell sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, meanwhile Kurt was interested in getting to know Cana some more. "Hey, do you think you can introduce me to that beautiful friend of yours?" he asked with a playful smile on his face. He wasn't planning on having a drink with a hot girl when he decided to come to Fiore, but by god, he isn't going to turn down that kind of offer.

Lowell mentally shook his head, almost regretting ever mentioning him to the others. "This is going to be fun." he said to himself.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, it took some time, but I finally managed to get this chapter done. I hope that everyone enjoyed it! Kurt has finally showed up, and it looks like he and Cana are going to get to know each other a lot better. Though, whether that is a good or bad thing, that remains to be seen. Who knows? Maybe he will like her so much, that he will try to catch her with a Pokeball like he tried before? Starting next chapter, I am planning to pick things up a little bit, so I hope you all look forward to that. I am not sure when the next chapter will come out. I may work on another chapter for my OCxJenny fanfiction, or I might try to get another chapter for this story done. I am not quite sure, just yet.**

 **Anyways, if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review, because I am always open to suggestions or any advice you may have for me! Like always, I hope that you all have a wonderful day! (:**


	19. Chapter 19

After the sudden arrival of Kurt, he and the members of Fairy Tail went into the guild hall to get acquainted with each other. Of Course, he was worried that someone would try to steal his motorcycle, so with permission, he rolled it to the back of the guild hall. Although, given the looks that Gajeel gave the bike, several members decided to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't try to eat it. Kurt was confused as to why everyone reacted like that, but since he wasn't aware of the Dragon Slayers and their ability to eat their element, it was justified.

Once his bike was secured, he sat down at the bar with Lowell and the others. Mira offered him a drink, an alcoholic one, which he happily accepted. Lowell had to pay for it, though, since Kurt didn't have any Jewel. Though in a way, it also allowed him to keep his friend's alcohol consumption to a minimum, since there is no way he is wasting more Jewel on alcohol. Cana attempted to get him drunk by offering him more booze, but that is where Lowell drew the line.

Kurt pouted, leaning his elbow against the bar counter. "You're no fun." he said. Still, Lowell didn't budge, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not letting you get drunk. The last time that happened, I had to bail you out. Which, if you remember, I said that I wasn't going to bail you out again, so it would be in your best interest to remain sober." Lowell enforced. He'll admit that some funny things happen when Kurt gets drunk, but it gets rather annoying when he is the one that has to take responsibility for his actions, especially since he is old enough that he should be doing that, himself.

"I feel for you, buddy." Purrloin commented.

The Devious Pokemon was sitting in Cana's lap, attempting to take a nap. Though, she does understand the position Lowell is in. She has to deal with Cana's drinking 24/7, so she understands that it can get annoying, at times.

After watching this scene unfold for a couple of minutes, Erza decided to step in and clear things up. "As entertaining as this is, what exactly are you doing in Fiore?" she asked the veteran trainer.

The red-haired boy turned and gave her a quizzical look. "What kind of trainer wouldn't come here, after hearing about that tournament?" he asked, a grin slowly forming on his lips. "Besides, I haven't seen Lowell in a while. I thought that I might as well come to pay him a visit, and to make sure that he isn't causing any trouble."

Lowell rolled his eyes, thinking that if he was trying to tell a joke, that it wasn't very funny. "I'm not the one who causes trouble, if I remember correctly. Trouble merely has a way of finding its way to me. You, on the contrary, are the one who causes trouble." he corrected.

"Name one time." Kurt requested.

"The Pokeball incident, the time you let a group of Patrat scurry off with all of our food and destroyed half the forest to get it back, when you accidentally destroyed the front of a Pokemon Center…" Lowell started counting on his fingers. The more he listed, the more the members of Fairy Tail thought he was describing one of them. Although, many were definitely curious to the different events that Lowell recalled. "The list goes on, but that would take too long."

Kurt looked crestfallen as Lowell listed more than just one thing. Okay, so maybe he's done some stupid and reckless things, but it's not like he is the only one.

"First off, I asked you to give one example, not a list." Kurt clarified, receiving a shrug of the shoulder in return, only managing to irritate him even more. "Secondly, that last one wasn't entirely my fault. I blame that Team Flare grunt for that."

Lowell hummed in thought for a moment before conceding and nodding his head. "Alright, you've got me there. Still, you get my point." he rebutted. Kurt has a smug grin on his face, relishing in the fact that he actually got Lowell to admit he was right, seemingly forgetting the other things his friend mentioned. "Anyways, if one of your reasons for being here is because of the tournament, then does that mean that you plan on joining Fairy Tail?" he asked.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah. If I've got to join one of these guilds to enter the tournament, then I may as well join the one that my best friend is in." he responded. However, his gaze then began to move towards Cana, who was well aware of his staring, but didn't mind all that much. Although, the red-haired teen turned away before they could lock eyes. "Plus, the other members of the guild seem pretty interesting, too." he added. Though, he wasn't as subtle as he thought when glancing at Cana, and the others sweat-dropped at his response.

 _"_ _We all know who you are referring to."_ they simultaneously thought.

Master Makarov gave a hearty laugh. Not even here for an hour, and Kurt has shown that he would fit right in with the other members. "You'll do well here. Of course, you can join the guild!" he said, earning cheers from the other members. Although, while they were distracted with cheering, he turned to hide a mischievous smile. _"Not to mention that he will also give our guild the advantage over the others when the tournament comes around. With him and Lowell on our side, there is no way that we can lose!"_ he thought.

Mira came around with the stamp and asked Kurt where he wanted the guild mark. He removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeve on his left arm, until his shoulder was bare. Much like Natsu, Kurt now has a red Fairy Tail symbol, but on the opposite shoulder.

After Kurt got his jacket back on, the master stood on top of the bar counter, holding up a mug of booze. "Let's have a little party, to celebrate the newest addition to our family!" he announced merrily, resulting in a cheerful chorus of yelling from the rest of the guild.

The guild enjoyed themselves as they drank and fought with each other, not that it is any different than their usual behavior. The only difference is that there is a reason behind it. It is for a new family member, who also just happens to be a veteran Pokemon trainer. The spirits were high, literally speaking for Cana, with the amount of booze she has consumed.

Kurt noticed how she downed a barrel in just under a minute, with an awe-struck face. "I think I'm in love." he said dreamily. However, he was knocked out of his daze when Lowell grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him off to the side. He was surprised from the sudden movement, making him nearly stumble and fall over, but he managed to follow behind Lowell without faceplanting into the floorboards.

Lowell pulled Kurt into the infirmary, since he doubted anyone was in here, not yet, at least. Who really knows when it comes to the brawls in Fairy Tail?

Once Lowell closed the door, Kurt sent a small glare at him. "What did you drag me in here for?" he asked, wishing that he was back with the others, possibly with a mug of booze in his hands. "There is a party going on, and yet we are in here. Something's going on." he said. Although, the message was perfectly clear to him once he noticed the serious expression on his friend's face. "What's up, man?" he asked, fully serious now.

"Has there been any activity involving Team Tempest, lately?" Lowell asked. "I know that it might be wishful thinking, but I still feel like they are somehow involved in everything that has been going on lately. It can't be a mere coincidence that they started becoming more active, around the time that all these strange occurrences began." he explained.

The red-haired trainer exhaled, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Well…about that…" he said, making Lowell worried.

"What happened?" Lowell asked. He isn't liking where this is going.

Kurt looked down at the floor, trying to figure out how to explain it. "That's just it. Nothing has really happened, and that is what is bugging me." he answered.

"How so?" Lowell asked. If anything, that should be considered a good thing.

"Maybe if their activities slowed a bit, then I wouldn't be as worried. Though, what has me worried, is that they seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth." he responded, making Lowell's eyes widen in shock.

"You can't be serious. There is no way that they just up and disappeared." he said, not understanding how an entire organization could just disappear into thin air, just like that. "When did they disappear?" he questioned. Though, silence followed. This didn't sit well with Lowell. "Kurt, what aren't you telling me?"

The trainer in question looked his friend directly in the eyes, all traces of silliness gone. "There is another reason why I wanted to come here. Sure, I wanted to see you again, and I wanted to compete in the tournament, but there is a more pressing matter that I am hoping to solve while I am here." he responded. "Not long after the press conference was when I noticed their sudden disappearance. Of course, this could just be a coincidence, but if they are truly involved in this somehow, it would make sense that they came to Fiore." he explained.

This news stunned Lowell. "So, you are saying that- "he was interrupted when Kurt decided to speak up.

"It is only a hunch, but that is what I am thinking. I doubt that the entire organization moved to Fiore, but I believe that they are placing their focus on something here, otherwise their usual crimes shouldn't have stopped in Hoenn." he told his friend. It is possible that they just went to another region, but he highly doubts that.

Lowell frowned, rubbing the tip of his chin in thought. One good thing about this is that they aren't causing trouble in Hoenn anymore. Though, considering that they don't know what Team Tempest might be planning right now, that isn't much of a silver lining. "What do you suggest we do?" Lowell asked. They are going to need some sort of plan, if they want to figure this out.

"I think it may be best, for the meantime, to keep this between us. We'll go on jobs, and while we are doing that, we will keep a sharp eye out for any suspicious activity. If our concerns end up being true, then we will alert the others of it." he explained. "There is no reason to get them involved, if this ends up being just some sort of wild Tauros chase.

Lowell nodded in agreeance to the plan. It is probably for the best. "I am supposed to go on a job with Erza and Wendy, tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep an eye out." he said. "Would you like to accompany us? Surely, they will agree, considering that you are new to the guild and don't have any funds or a knowledge of the area."

Kurt nodded his head in response. "Sure, why not? If we do run into any of them, then it shouldn't to too hard to handle with the both of us there."

"Agreed." Lowell stated. "Now, we should probably get back to the others, before they notice we were gone."

The two trainers exited the infirmary, trying to act like their conversation never happened. They took a quick look around, noticing that most of the guild had been too busy drinking, partying, or fighting to notice their disappearance. However, it didn't go completely unnoticed, because when they got to the table Levy, Lucy, Erza, and Wendy were sitting at, they were curious as to where they disappeared to.

"What happened, you two?" Lucy asked. "A couple minutes ago, Kurt was by the bar swooning over Cana, and then you just up and vanished."

The red-haired teen in question rolled his eyes at her. "I was not swooning over her. I was just in awe of how much she is able to drink." he responded, only partially telling the truth. He truly is amazed at her tolerance for alcohol, but the swooning thing is a total lie. He's not a pervert or anything, but he is still a teenage male. Sometimes you can't help but admire beauty when you notice it.

Still giggling from Kurt's denial, Levy turned to face Lowell. "Anyways, is something wrong?" she asked. She knows that he isn't the most social person, but she wouldn't think that he would leave the party, without at least letting someone else know beforehand.

"Don't worry about it. Kurt and I were just doing some catching up. We haven't actually seen each other in person, for a while. I'd much rather talk to him in person, than over the phone." he answered. Thankfully, the others didn't doubt his words, and they left it at that. Although, he was reminded of something he wanted to ask Erza. "Hey, Erza. I told Kurt about the job tomorrow. Is it alright if he joins us?

Erza shrugged her shoulders in response, not having a problem with it. The extra help won't hurt, and it will also give her a chance to see what Kurt and his Pokemon are capable of. "I don't mind. Plus, I am interested in seeing what Kurt and his Pokemon are capable of in battle." she responded.

Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "Of course. Besides, I am sure that he is really strong, if the two of you travelled together." she stated.

Smirking, Kurt pointed a thumb at himself. "You've got that right! You're looking at the former champion of the Hoenn Region!" he declared, making those around them stop and stare at the red-haired teen. Everyone went silent for a moment, which earned a look of confusion from Kurt. "Hey, why did everybody get quiet all of a sudde-?"

"You were the champion?!" the entire guild, minus Lowell and Greninja, yelled, interrupting the red-haired trainer.

"Yeah." Kurt responded nonchalantly. "I mean, it was only for a year before I gave the title back to Steven, but it was cool, I guess. Although, I definitely found the road to becoming champion much more fun than actually becoming the champion." he explained, to which Lowell can agree. Of course, he never became champion, so he wouldn't know how it felt, but he wasn't interested in the title, anyways.

Some members of the guild agreed with Kurt's words. Sure, being a champion sounds amazing, but ultimately, it brings a lot more work, and a lot of people aren't interested in that. Although, others got upset, namely Natsu, that he would give up such a title.

"You've got to be kidding me!" the pink-haired teen yelled, stomping his foot out of anger and disbelief. "How could you just give something like that up?! Doesn't that make you the strongest? I can at least somewhat understand why Lowell didn't accept the position, because he technically didn't even win the battle, but you earned the title."

Kurt and Lowell exchanged a look with each other before amused grins worked their way onto their faces. "Lowell and I are different in many ways, but we do at least share this. Neither of us care much about such titles, and neither of us are exactly fond of extra work." he answered. While they travelled together, when they weren't training or dealing with Team Flare, or when Kurt wasn't out trying to get drunk, they would both take a nap underneath the trees. When it comes time to get serious, you would be a fool to cross one of them. However, when something doesn't seem important to them, they prefer to just push it to the side, take a nap, and then deal with it when they wake up.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Besides, it gave him more time to spend travelling. After I finished the Kalos League, I went back home and worked for Professor Sycamore. Sure, I would do some travelling while working for him, but for the most part I stayed relatively close to home. Kurt, on the other hand, continued his travels and dealt with any issues that he came across." he explained. He's been busy dealing with Team Tempest and their crimes, so he can't really say that Kurt has been lazy. Though, he was able to focus on that task, after giving Steven his title back.

Levy smiled, having decided that Kurt seems pretty nice. He reminds her of a male version of Cana in a way, which isn't a bad thing, but he and Lowell definitely do have their fair share of differences. Still, this is one of the few close friends that Lowell had before he joined Fairy Tail, and it is obvious with how they interact with each other. It kind of reminds her of how he interacts with Greninja, which goes to show how important his friends are to him, since he regards them as an extended family instead of just friends.

Although, there is one thing that she is curious about. "If you used to be a champion, then does that mean that you are stronger than Lowell?" she asked the red-haired teen.

"No. He isn't." Lowell responded for his friend, seeing that he was already opening his mouth to speak. "He may have been a champion, but that is just a label. Sure, he is strong, but he isn't invincible. Though, having said that, I can't say that I am stronger than him, either. During most of the battles we've had with each other, they've all ended in a draw." he explained. There was one time that Lowell had managed to win, but what happened during that battle both stunned and confused Lowell and Kurt, so they both agreed that it was a fluke until it happened again, which it hasn't.

This information stunned some of the other members. They've seen what his Pokemon can do in a fight, so that just goes to show how strong Kurt and his Pokemon must be. Although, that only managed to get Natsu even more excited. If Kurt is just as strong as Lowell, then that will give him yet another tough opponent to face and gain experience from.

A normal person would tend to avoid getting into a fight with someone when they know they are strong. However, Natsu has never been much of a normal person. As soon as he heard that Kurt was strong, he appeared in front of the red-haired trainer faster than the eye could see, pointing a fist at him.

"That settles it! You and I are going to have a battle!" he declared, not even bothering to stop and think about what he was saying.

Of course, this didn't surprise any of the other members. In fact, they quite expected for something like this to happen, though that doesn't make it any less reckless or stupid.

Lucy rested the palm of her hand on her forehead, exasperatedly shaking her head. "Why can't he just not pick a fight with someone stronger than him, for once?" she asked, though the answer was clear to her. That is just how Natsu is. After all, his eagerness to defeat strong opponents has translated over from fighting with his fists to Pokemon battles.

While Erza reacted the same as Lucy, she has a small grin on her face. "That's our Natsu, alright. Never stopping to think about the consequences of his actions."

"He is determined. I'll give the flame brain that much." Gray commented, once again wearing only his shorts. Juvia agreed, though she was too busy trying to prevent herself from fainting to pay much attention to everything else that was going on.

After Natsu's challenge, Kurt sat silently for a moment, just looking at the pink-haired Dragon Slayer with an amused expression on his face. He doubted that the mage had too much experience when it came to Pokemon, so he was sure that it wouldn't be much of a challenge. Personally, he doesn't see much of a point considering that he already knows the outcome, but he was challenged, and Kurt isn't one to turn down a challenge.

So, despite knowing the result, Kurt stood up from his seat, looking directly into Natsu's eyes. They are full of fire and determination, reminding him of himself when he has a tough battle ahead of him. "Alright. I'll accept your challenge." he stated.

"He can't be serious!" Wakaba exclaimed.

"Is he really going to have a battle with Natsu?!" Macao questioned.

"I'm not sure whether I should be excited, or if I should feel nervous for Natsu." Romeo admitted.

Despite the murmurs of his guildmates, Natsu was thrilled. He and Lucy have had a couple of practice battles since coming back from Kalos, and Charmander has also done a lot of fighting with Gray's Sneasel, but they haven't had a Pokemon battle against someone of Lowell or Kurt's skill level. His fist lit aflame with his fire of determination, a wide grin forming on his face. "This will be the true test to see just how far I've come as a trainer." he declared.

"That's the spirit." Kurt commented. However, he soon turned to face his friend, giving him a serious look. "Although, after the show, how about we get to the main event. It's been quite a while since we last faced off against each other. I am curious to see if you have gone soft on me, or not."

Lowell smirked, expecting as much. Although, he isn't disappointed in the slightest. He was hoping that Kurt would suggest that. "Fine by me. Though, just don't toy with Natsu for too long. I'm normally not one to get excited over a battle, but this is an exception." he said. Who knows? If Kurt decides to pull out all the stops, he may just do the same. Although, if they do decide to do _that_ , then they should probably do it away from the town. "We should probably take this into the forest, though, so that we don't destroy Magnolia in the process."

"It's a good thing you mentioned that, otherwise I would've forgotten!" Kurt responded, laughing as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

 _"_ _They're that strong?!"_ the guild thought in unison. Although, many were relieved that Lowell at least had the common sense to take this away from the town, to avoid causing any collateral damage, especially Master Makarov. He doesn't feel like having to write another apology letter.

"Well, this seems interesting. Hey, flame brain. Try to lose quickly, so that we can all see the real battle unfold." Gray said.

A tick mark formed on Natsu's forehead. "Shut up, stripper! I'm not gonna lose! I'll show you!" he yelled, although the more he thinks about it, which he doesn't tend to do often, the more he begins to realize how bad of an idea it was for him to challenge Kurt to a battle. Though, he isn't going to back down, now. It would be a major hit to his pride if he backed down before the battle even started.

The master stood up, using his cane to walk to the front of the guild. "Alright. Let's go somewhere that won't cost a fortune to rebuild if it was destroyed. Save any and all bets until we arrive at our final destination." he said, though the others were already ahead of him, betting on the battles to come. Although, not many people are betting on Natsu's battle with Kurt, since everyone already knows who is going to win. The real debate is who they think will win between Lowell and Kurt, or if it will be a tie like their previous battles.

Kurt walked over to Lowell and whispered into his ear. "Hey. Do you think that I could maybe borrow a couple of Jewel to bet on myself?" he asked. Although, Lowell just pushed the red-haired trainer away from him, laughing sarcastically.

"You must be very confident, if you are asking that." Lowell responded, resulting in his friend to grin.

"Of course. I've just got a feeling that this battle will be different." Kurt responded.

Lowell smirked in response. "Oh, really?" he asked. "Then maybe that means it will be me who wins, this time." he suggested.

Kurt placed a hand on his chin in mock thought, before a joking grin appeared on his lips. "I think I like the sound of the first option better." he said, prompting both of them to laugh.

* * *

Minutes later, the entire guild found themselves walking deeper into the forest, trying to find a decent spot to have the battles. There is no way that Lowell is going to let them have them near his house, though. He and his Pokemon spent a while building it, and he isn't ready for it to be destroyed by the destructiveness that Fairy Tail is known for. That is another reason why the only member of the guild who knows where his house is built is Levy, because he knows that she won't destroy the place like the others would.

As they walked, Levy questioned Lowell on if he really thought Natsu had no chance of winning against Kurt. "Is he really that strong?" she asked.

"Well. He didn't become the champion of Hoenn by chance, that is for sure. Though, what it really comes down to is the fact that Natsu only has Charmander, and both of them are still somewhat inexperienced, at least when compared to seasoned trainers like Kurt and I. Us, on the other hand, have been training our Pokemon for years, and we know the ins and outs of different strategies. So, really, it is simply a difference in skill level." he explained. Natsu has shown some promise as a trainer, but that doesn't matter if his opponent has far more experience than him. He is known to overcome any odds, but that doesn't mean he can win every battle in front of him.

Levy expected as much, though she hoped that Charmander wouldn't be hurt too badly. She never does like to see Pokemon get hurt, though it is a part of battling. Still, while she is worried about what is going to happen when Lowell has to battle Kurt. She knows that their battles in the past have ended in ties, but apparently it has been a while since the last one. Kurt has more than likely gotten much stronger, but then again, surely Lowell has, as well. Though, she is still worried that he might lose. If he does, it isn't that big of a deal, but she doesn't want to see him lose.

"Lowell, what do you think your chances are at beating Kurt?" she asked, hoping that he was confident. Although, much to her dismay, Lowell became deep in thought, making her worry a bit.

"Truthfully, I'm not sure. It could very well go either way. I would like to win, so that he doesn't end up bragging about his victory for the next couple of months, but if I do lose, then that is fine by me." he responded, looking back at her. "Why? Are you planning on betting on me, or something?" he asked.

Her face began to heat up a little, but she still managed to speak. "W-well, I just really want you to win. You two seem like rivals, so I figured that this might be a big deal for you." she said embarrassedly, looking down at the ground. However, she then looked back up at him, staring into his eyes. "Besides, we are…friends, right?" she asked a little hesitantly. She didn't feel like that was the right word to use, but she was too embarrassed to say something else. "It only makes sense that I want you to win." she tried to justify.

Hearing her say that made him blush a bit, thinking about how he would like to be more than just friends. Though, he just nodded his head, giving her a small smile. "Of course. It would be the same for me if you had a battle." he said. Although, after saying that, he started to regret not telling her how he really felt. _"That might have been the perfect time, but then how would she have reacted? Is it really smart to tell her with everyone else in the guild around? Maybe I should just wait a little longer…"_ he thought.

With Lowell and Levy wallowing in their thoughts, the rest of the walk to find a spot to battle in was drowned out. Although, they would occasionally snap out of their thoughts to watch an argument unfold between their guildmates.

Eventually, they stumbled across a rather large clearing in the forest. The light shines down on them, though not bright enough to obscure their vision. The bright-green grass is littered with patches of colorful flowers, with a small meadow a little off to the side near a small pond.

A majority of the guild gathered near the pond, where it should hopefully be a safe enough distance from the action about to go down. Meanwhile, Natsu and Kurt are standing across from each other in the middle of the clearing. Natsu is staring his opponent down, whereas Kurt is just standing there with a bored expression on his face. There is no need for a referee, since this battle will be over rather quickly.

Standing across from the former champion, Natsu is raring to go. He knows that he is out of his league, but he is still excited to see just what Kurt's Pokemon can do. "I may not have as much as experience as you as a trainer, but if you think that I am just going to stand here and be made a fool of, then you are wrong!" he declared, taking out Charmander's Pokeball.

A small smirk formed on Kurt's face. "Is that so, then?" he asked, drawing out his own Pokeball. "In that case, show me what you've got."

Natsu grinned. "With pleasure!" he said, tossing the Pokeball and releasing Charmander onto the battlefield. The Lizard Pokemon let out a small breath of fire as he appeared, showing that he is ready to go. "Let's do this, partner!" he said, much to Happy's disappointment. On the sidelines, the blue Exceed pouted a bit.

"I'm supposed to be his partner." he complained, earning a comforting pat on the head from Lucy.

Kurt looked down at the Charmander, almost reminding him a bit of Lowell and his Charizard. This made him smile. "If that is the Pokemon that you are going to use, then I am going to call out my good buddy." he said, tossing his Pokeball into the air.

After the flash of light disappeared, it revealed a bipedal chicken, with red and orange fur and long, white feathers going down his back and part of his chest. He crossed his arms, his wrists being enveloped in fire

Lowell was pleased with Kurt's choice in Pokemon. _"It looks like Charizard is going to have some fun, when his turn comes around."_ he thought.

Levy, wanting to know more about the Pokemon in front of them, took out her Pokedex and pointed it at him.

 ** _"_** ** _Blaziken: The Blaze Pokemon. Blaziken has incredibly strong legs—it can easily clear a 30-story building in one leap. This Pokémon's blazing punches leave its foes scorched and blackened."_** the Pokedex stated.

"Wow. Talk about a fried chicken." Gray commented, earning a volley of laughs from those around him. Though, despite the somewhat accurate joke, it still appears to be quite intimidating.

Charmander looked up at the Fire/Fighting-type Pokemon towering above him, feeling slightly intimidated. He looked back at his trainer with a bead of nervous sweat dripping down his face. "U-uh, Natsu. Are you, uh…are you sure about this?" he asked, looking back at his soon to be opponent. "I don't think that this is a smart idea." he said, voicing his concern. He may be all for a good fight, but even he knows when a fight is too much for him to handle.

Natsu simply gave his lizard companion a toothy grin and a thumbs up. "Don't worry about it. Just do your best, and everything will be fine." he said in an attempt to calm his partner down.

Charmander is still nervous, but if Natsu is really serious about this, then he will just have to back him up. He doubts he has what it takes to win, but he will give it his best effort.

Blaziken seemed a little reluctant to fight against Charmander at first, but he went along with his trainer's decision. "I'll hold back a bit, so that you don't get too hurt." he assured the smaller Pokemon. Although, that didn't do much to ease his nerves.

"So, Natsu, are you ready?" Kurt asked.

The pink-haired dragon slayer nodded his head, lighting a small flame around one of his closed fists. "Heck yeah! I'm all fired up!" he announced.

"In that case, I'll give you and Charmander the first move. Give it your best shot." Kurt replied. He'll be surprised if Charmander does any damage to Blaziken, but he is honestly hoping for a surprise.

Knowing that he has been allowed the first move, he took a moment to do something that some found quite odd for Natsu: think. He took up a pensive expression, evaluating his opponent.

Gray looked at his rival in shock. "Woah. I never knew Natsu was capable of thinking, especially during a fight." he commented, earning several nods of agreement.

Erza smiled a bit at this new development. "This just shows how serious he is, and how much he has begun to improve since bonding with Pokemon." she responded. His normal behavior isn't entirely gone, but it is nice to see that he is at least attempting to take things seriously, for once.

"I know. It surprised me when I first witnessed it. We were having a practice battle, and he was just standing there. I thought he had spaced out, but before I knew it, he came back to reality and wipe the floor with Klefki and I." she said.

Happy frowned. "I don't like this new side of Natsu." he commented.

Right away, Natsu already knew that Blaziken was a Fire-type. That much was painfully obvious. Although, he had no idea if it was another type, or not. _"The best move I could probably make is use Smokescreen to give us some cover. I doubt that blowing it up with Ember would do much good, though, since it would probably just brush the fire away like it is nothing. Still, the accuracy drop could end up being useful later on."_ he thought.

Having come up with his plan of action, Natsu grinned, setting his plan into motion. "Let's start things off with a **Smokescreen!** " he ordered.

Charmander happily obliged, being glad to see that Natsu was using his brain for once to come up with a decent strategy. The Lizard Pokemon took a deep breath before exhaling a massive cloud of black smoke that obscured the view of Blaziken.

For the most part, Blaziken can't see anything past the thick, black smoke. However, he didn't budge from his spot, patiently waiting for his trainer's orders. Although, he did have to put out the fires around his wrists, so that he didn't accidentally cause an explosion. It won't do too much damage, but he would still rather avoid that situation.

Suddenly, a small, red blur dashed through the smoke, catching Blaziken's attention. He attempted to look for Charmander, but since he was so small, it was hard to make him out in the thick smoke. Though, when something began to shine white, he turned to face where the light was coming from, and he saw the lights moving closer to him.

" **Scratch!** " The Lizard Pokemon drug his shining claws across the arm that came up to block them. For a second, he grinned, thinking that he actually managed to cause some damage. However, that quickly changed when he felt a strong hand grab his body, trapping him in the firm grip.

"Nice try, but it'll take a lot more than a puny scratch to damage me." Blaziken spoke. At this point, the smoke is beginning to settle, allowing the outside spectators to see that Blaziken had caught Charmander.

Natsu frowned upon seeing his partner struggling to break free. However, he realized that Charmander's mouth wasn't being restrained, which gave him an idea. "Use **Smokescreen** right in his face!"

However, Kurt wasn't planning on letting that happen. Blaziken's accuracy has already been lowered once. While it wouldn't be too big of a problem, it would make things quite tedious. "Throw him!" he ordered.

Just as Charmander was about to release another Smokescreen, he was jerked back, and then he was thrown across the clearing and into a tree. He slid down the trunk of the tree, letting out a small groan of pain once on the grassy earth.

Natsu turned back and gave his partner a nervous look. "Charmander, are you alright?" he asked. He is upset that his plan didn't work, and it makes him realize that strategizing isn't his best skill, but he is more concerned with Charmander's health.

Charmander stood back up, brushing some dirt off his stomach. He turned and gave his trainer a nod of his head while trying to catch his breath. He hit the tree pretty hard, but for the most part, it just knocked the wind out of him. Although, he is definitely going to have a bruise, later on.

Lowell watched as Charmander got back up, a little surprised. Training with Natsu must've made him more resilient, because knowing Blaziken's power, he should've gone through the tree, several trees, actually. _"I guess it makes sense, though. He has no reason to go all out against Charmander. He is saving that strength for the next battle."_ he thought.

Gray scoffed. "Man. For a second, I thought that idiot actually had somewhat of a chance." he said.

"Don't count them out so soon." Lucy scolded him. Although, honestly, she doesn't believe that Natsu has much of a chance at winning, either. Still, she isn't going to put him down, especially since she can tell he is trying. He and Charmander just don't have what it takes. Natsu may be a powerful wizard, but that doesn't translate into being a trainer.

Kurt smiled at the determination the duo in front of him are displaying. Despite their lack of strength, they are still giving it their all. "Well, I think that it would be disrespectful to let this go on for much longer. Blaziken, let's finish this with one shot." he said, his partner nodding his head in agreeance.

Blaziken crouched a bit before leaping directly towards Charmander. While he was in the air, he brought his leg back, engulfing it in intense flames. It won't be very effective against Charmander, who is a Fire-type, but the force behind the blow should be enough to defeat Charmander, since his defenses aren't very high to begin with.

As Blaziken got closer, Charmander began to panic a little. At the speed his opponent was going at, there was no way that he would be able to move out of the way in time. Natsu noticed this, and so he attempted to have Charmander distract Blaziken.

"Use **Ember!** " he ordered in a hurry.

Not wanting to feel Blaziken's raw physical strength, Charmander took a deep breath before releasing a barrage of fiery-hot embers in Blaziken's direction. However, as the pellets made contact, they simply dissipated against the Pokémon's skin. To Blaziken, the attack only managed to tickle him a little. Though, that wasn't enough to stop Blaziken's kick.

" **Blaze Kick!** "

Blaziken's brought his leg around, and Charmander closed his eyes in fear. However, a second passed, and he didn't feel any pain. Well, pain not caused by being thrown into a tree. He also heard the sound of something snapping. Curious as to what happened, he opened his eyes, and they immediately widened upon seeing the tree he was thrown into about to fall on top of him.

With quick reflexes, the Lizard Pokemon jumped out of the way, hearing a loud crashing sound when the tree slammed into the earth behind him. Taking another look back, he saw how the tree had created an impression in the ground, as well as managed to knock over a couple of other trees in the process.

The members of Fairy Tail were stunned, to say the least. Not only was that one kick responsible for so much damage, but Charmander was also somehow able to avoid getting hit by it. However, the one most excited by the this turn of events is Natsu, whose grin reaches his eyes.

"Good job, Charmander! That'll show them that we aren't to be taken lightly!" he announced. However, Charmander is quite confused by what happened.

 _"_ _I didn't really do anything, though. I didn't move, so that kick should've hit me."_ he thought.

Blaziken jumped back, a little disappointed in his minor mistake. "It looks like that Smokescreen paid off, after all." he said, a small smirk growing on his face. _"They are lacking in power at the moment, but at least they have the dedication."_ he thought.

Meanwhile, his trainer his thinking very similarly. He isn't upset in the slightest that Blaziken's attack had missed. That just goes to show that, no matter how strong you get, becoming overconfident will be your downfall. "I'm impressed. Such a new trainer has never put up this much of a fight before. It makes me think that I'll continue to see more interesting things like this the longer I am in Fiore." he stated. "Though, I won't underestimate you any further. It is clear to me that was a mistake after this, and I won't let it happen again."

Natsu grinned, opening his hand and igniting the words "Come on," on his fingertips, before letting them dissipate into nothing. "Come at with us everything you've got! We'll show you that we aren't gonna be taken down so easily, just because you are strong!" he declared.

Charmander stood up straight, inspired by Natsu's words. "Damn straight! Even if we don't win this battle, I'm still gonna give it all I've got!" he declared, beginning his charge towards the taller Pokemon. "Let's do this, Natsu!"

"Alright! Charmander, use Metal Claw!" his trainer ordered.

Spreading his arms out, his claws extended and were covered in a metallic-silver light. Once he made it midway, he leaped into the air, barreling down on top of Blaziken with his claws in front of him.

"Counter with **Brick Break**." Kurt said.

Blaziken held out one arm, allowing his hand to be coated in a bright-orange energy. He momentarily brought his arm back before swinging forwards, colliding with one set of Charmander's claws. The Fighting-type attack easily broke through the Steel-type attack, which technically has a disadvantage against Brick Break. Charmander quickly tried to strike with his other set of claws, but it ended with the same results as the first attempt.

The Blaze Pokemon then spun around, slamming Brick Break into the side of Charmander, sending the smaller Pokemon flying backwards. Charmander slid along the ground, creating a long impression in the dirt. Yards away from where he previously was, Charmander shakily stood on his feet, attempting to catch his breath once more. Unlike when he was thrown into the tree, this attack actually hurt quite a bit, and it is making it harder for him to remain standing. However, after coming this far, he isn't going to give in now.

Just as he managed to gain a solid footing in the ground, Blaziken appeared in front of him as a blur in mid-air. His knee is raised, and it is covered in a similar energy as his hand was. " **High-Jump Kick!** "

With the speed Blaziken was moving at, Natsu knew that it would be difficult for Charmander to dodge. However, he also knew that it would be almost impossible for him to block it, either. "Try to move out of the way!" he called out to his partner.

The Lizard Pokemon did as he was told, and he attempted to move a little to his left to avoid being drilled by Blaziken's knee. It normally wouldn't have been enough to avoid it, but thanks to Smokescreen, Blaziken's attack was off by a little bit, and it was just enough to cause him to zoom right past Charmander and hit the ground. Though, before he could hit the ground, Blaziken dug his other foot into the soil beneath him, and he spun his body around so that he would be aiming for Charmander again.

For a moment, Charmander thought that he was in the clear, having seen Blaziken zoom right past him. However, he noticed the shadow looming over him, prompting him to turn around, only to see Blaziken about to nail him with a powerful attack. He barely had the chance for his eyes to widen before the knee connected with his stomach, sending him soaring through the air and into another tree. However, this time, the force behind the attack was strong enough to cause the bark on the tree to crack. Charmander crashed through the tree, and into a small boulder that was behind it, creating a cloud of dust to rise around him.

The members of Fairy Tail couldn't help but wince when Blaziken's knee made impact with Charmander. Some of them could almost even feel the pain from there, many of them having received similar blows from their guildmates during one of their brawls.

Levy had her hands over her mouth and shock, and Lowell felt bad for Charmander. "That was a close one, too. Had Blaziken not changed the path of his attack like that, then Charmander would've had another chance." he said, prompting Levy to look at him with a raised brow.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

"High-Jump Kick is a very powerful Fighting-type move. If it lands, then the opponent is in for a world of hurt. However, the drawback is that the move has a relatively low accuracy, which can make using it very risky since the user takes recoil damage if it misses its target." he explained.

Levy's eyes widened in surprise. "So, you are saying that it could've provided Charmander with an opening, had Blaziken not changed his attack path like that?" she assumed, receiving a nod in return.

"That being said, Blaziken still would've held the advantage. It is just that, Charmander would've been able to distance himself and attempt another long-range attack. It still wouldn't have done much damage, but it would have at least kept the battle going on for a bit longer." Lowell reasoned. He looked back at Kurt, who is currently walking towards Blaziken. "That is why I knew the results before the battle even happened. Natsu and Charmander have determination, but compared to Kurt's experience and Blaziken's power, they didn't stand a chance."

Still, Levy just couldn't believe the amount of power that one punch or kick from Blaziken held. She looked at Kurt and Blaziken, before turning back and looking at Lowell and Greninja, the latter leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. _"To think that this is the level of power that they have. And yet, this still isn't even breaching the surface of their full power. I can only imagine how intense the battle between the both of them are going to be."_ she thought.

Kurt and Blaziken fist bumped each other. "Nice job, buddy. I can't say that the results were unexpected, but they gave it a valiant effort. I wasn't expecting them to last that long." Kurt stated.

Blaziken nodded his head in agreement. "For beginners, they did pretty well. If this was a more even battle, then they would've had a chance." he responded.

As they were talking, Natsu made his way to the boulder Charmander had landed in. The Lizard Pokemon was found laying face-up in a small crater. The sight made Natsu feel disappointed in himself. Even he knew that they wouldn't win, but he was stubborn enough to not back down, and it ended up getting Charmander hurt. While they did work together during the battle, Natsu had almost forgotten that it wasn't him getting hurt. It was Charmander.

Natsu was about to call Charmander back into his Pokeball, when suddenly, bits of rock crumbled to the ground, making Natsu let out a small gasp. Charmander is trying to push himself up and out of the crater that he had made, with a pained expression on his face. However, despite being in pain, he was determined to keep going.

Natsu watched in shock as Charmander dragged himself out of the crater, struggling to stay standing. He couldn't believe that, after that big of a hit, he was able to stand up again.

"I…am not going to…give up so easily." he said in between ragged breaths, catching the attention of the others. Everyone, especially Kurt and Blaziken, were shocked to see that he was actually still willing to fight.

"Well I'll be…" Kurt said in shock.

Charmander continued to walk further away from the boulder, slowly reaching the clearing where Kurt and Blaziken were. He had nearly collapsed from the pain and exhaustion several times, but he just kept going. While it pleased Natsu that Charmander wasn't throwing in the towel, he was still concerned that he might be pushing himself a little too hard. Though, when he tried to call Charmander back into his Pokeball, the Lizard Pokemon let out a small chuckle.

"I'm taking a page from your book, Natsu." he said, resulting in a puzzled Natsu.

"What are you talking about? I don't read books." he responded, earning several deadpanned expressions from the others.

"I mean that I am going to keep fighting, until I can't fight anymore." he corrected, hoping for Natsu to finally get his message. When his trainer didn't say anything, he continued speaking. "This battle may not be all that important, and sure, I probably won't be able to win, but that doesn't mean that I am going to just lie in a crater and admit defeat. I'm as stubborn as you, Natsu. Besides, how will I become stronger if I run away, just because of one tough opponent?

Suddenly, Charmander's body began to shine a radiant, white light, illuminating most of the clearing. Natsu, Kurt, and Blaziken had to cover their eyes from the intense light. Most of Fairy Tail doesn't have any clue as to what is going on, whereas Lowell, Kurt, and the Pokemon know exactly what is going on.

"I wasn't expecting this." Lowell commented.

"What do you mean? What is happening to Charmander?" Lucy asked.

"I believe that I've explained the process of Evolution to you. Once a Pokemon gains enough experience, they become capable of evolving, which will change their appearance a bit and increase their strength." he explained. With the intense training Natsu and Charmander have been doing for the past month, he had a feeling that Charmander was close to evolving, but he would've never thought he would end up evolving now, of all times.

Slowly, Charmander's body began to change. His body grew taller, and his arms, legs, and tail grew longer. The fire on the tip of his tail burned hotter and brighter than ever, and his nails grew a bit longer. Once the process was over, the bright light faded, revealing Charmander's evolved form to the rest of the guild.

"C-Charmander? What the heck happened?" Natsu asked.

Charmeleon looked back at his trainer, giving him a big grin. "I evolved, Natsu. I am no longer Charmander. Now I am Charmeleon." he informed. "I told you that I wasn't going to give up so easily."

Natsu remembered hearing Lowell talk about evolution before, but he wasn't expecting it to happen now. Though, he isn't complaining. It just goes to show that their training has finally paid off. "I guess you're right. So, do you think that you can keep going?"

While his injuries are still there, with evolving, he feels as if a wave of power has surged throughout his body, giving him the energy to keep going. He gave his trainer a single thumbs-up, which was all the clarification that Natsu needed.

"What do you say, Kurt? You wanna keep going, or what?" Natsu asked with a toothy grin.

Calming down from the initial shock, he smiled. "You two just keep surprising me. I think that being in Fairy Tail will definitely be a lot of fun. If you are willing to keep going, then so are we." he responded, receiving a nod of agreement from Blaziken.

Natsu pounded his fist into an open palm, cracking his knuckles. "Alright then. Charman – I mean Charmeleon, let's heat things up with **Ember!** " he ordered.

Charmeleon took a deep breath; however, instead of using Ember, Charmeleon released a beam of bluish-purple, draconic energy from his mouth. The beam moved towards Blaziken at an alarming speed, causing him to move to the side at the last second. However, it did manage to graze his leg a bit, before Blaziken was able to escape.

The attack kept going, exploding upon making contact with the ground. The ground shook, startling the members of Fairy Tail.

"What was that?!" many of them asked at the same time.

"That was Dragon Rage. It is a Dragon-type attack that Charmeleon learns after evolving. Compared to other Dragon-type attacks, it isn't very powerful, but it can still pack quite a punch." Lowell explained.

Natsu smiled after hearing the name. To him, it seems very fitting for the Pokemon of a Dragon Slayer. Charmeleon can no longer use Scratch, but he has gained a much more destructive move in its place. "Let's try that new move of yours out again! Charmeleon, use **Dragon Rage** one more time!" he ordered.

Charmeleon fired off another Dragon Rage, but both Kurt and Blaziken were expecting this. Blaziken jumped over the large explosion caused by Dragon Rage, descending upon Charmeleon. It was the perfect setup for Blaziken's last move.

"Earthquake!" Kurt called out.

Just by the name, Natsu knew that it wouldn't be very good if Charmeleon was hit by it. Though, that left one question for him to answer. How does someone dodge an earthquake?

Just as Blaziken was about to land, Natsu came up with an idea. "Jump into the air, and then propel yourself higher with **Ember!** "

Charmeleon jumped into the air just as Blaziken's foot connected with the ground. He then took a deep breath before unleashing a barrage of fiery pellets down at the ground, which ended up becoming more of a Flamethrower than an Ember, due to his Blaze ability kicking in. High in the sky, he could see the ground beneath him shatter from the sheer power behind Blaziken's kick, and some of the guild members were nearly knocked over by the shaking.

"Man, this would've been bad if he used that in Magnolia!" Gray commented, grabbing onto a tree to stop himself from falling over. Even some of the trees closer to where Blaziken had landed had been knocked over.

"That is quite a lot of power. I wonder how much training it took for Blaziken to become this powerful." Erza pondered, seemingly unfazed by the shaking.

"It definitely wasn't overnight, that is for sure. Like I said before, it took years for his Pokemon to gain this level of strength." Lowell commented as he stopped Levy from falling over. They both blushed from the physical contact, but they were more focused on what was going on with the battle.

Soon enough, Charmeleon began to plummet back down towards the earth. However, Natsu had an idea to make use of that. "Use **Metal Claw** while spinning!" he ordered.

In response to that, Charmeleon's claws began to shine metallic-silver again. This time; however, he began to spin vertically, making himself look like a rotating saw. As he continued to descend, he only picked up more and more speed.

"Block it with **Blaze Kick!** " Kurt commanded.

The fur around Blaziken's foot lit on fire, as he lifted it to block the spinning Metal Claw. When the two attacks collided, sparks flew. For a moment, the ground beneath Blaziken actually began to crack; however, the Blaze Kick soon overpowered the Metal Claw, and Charmeleon was like a sitting duck in the air.

"Now knock him out of the air with **Brick Break!** " Kurt said. It has been an interesting and surprising battle for him, but he thinks that it is about time that it finally ends.

With a glowing hand, Blaziken karate chopped down on Charmeleon's stomach, sending him crashing into the ground. His body made a crater in the earth, and this time, Charmeleon wasn't getting back up. His eyes turned into spirals, indicating him being unconscious.

Kurt let out a quick breath. "Well, it looks like it is finally over." he said.

Blaziken nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. I wasn't expecting him to put up that much of a fight. Though, that just shows that they are going to become a force to be reckoned with in the future."

Natsu kneeled beside Charmeleon, gently petting his head. "You did a good job, pal. Now its time for you to get some rest." he said, taking out Charmeleon's Pokeball and calling him back to rest.

The pink-haired dragon slayer stood up, meeting Kurt and Blaziken in the middle of the clearing. Kurt has already given Blaziken an Oran Berry to restore whatever energy he had used during the battle. He didn't take much damage, but since Kurt is going to have him battle against Lowell's Pokemon next, he figured that he would need as much energy as he could possibly get.

Natsu sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, giving his former opponent a small chuckle. "Well, I guess I lost. Though, that was definitely the most intense Pokemon battle I've had so far." he admitted. He doesn't like losing, but he knew that he was outclassed the moment he challenged Kurt to a battle. Still, he wanted to just see where he stood compared to Kurt as a trainer, and this has shown him that he and Charmeleon have still got a long way to go.

Kurt clasped a hand on Natsu's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "Don't let it get to you. You haven't been a trainer for very long. With some more experience, then you will be on your way to becoming a great trainer. Besides, you managed to surprise me a couple of times during that battle. I have no doubts that you are on the right track."

Off to the side, Lucy frowned a little. "For a minute, I thought that he was going to make a comeback." she said.

Gray scoffed. "I knew that flame brain was going to mess this up. Still, he did better than I thought he would."

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "He did well, considering how much of a disadvantage he and Charmeleon were in. Surely, this will only make him train harder, from now on."

"It was also a very convenient time for Charmander to evolve. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get back up." Lowell responded.

Natsu began to head back towards the rest of the guild, whereas Lowell walked towards the middle of the clearing to meet up with Kurt. As the two of them passed each other, Natsu clapped Lowell on the shoulder.

"Good luck. I have no idea how strong he was when the two of you last fought, but he is definitely tough." Natsu said.

"Don't worry. I know how to handle this. Besides, I have a feeling that this is going to be a nice show for you and the rest of the guild. Things are really going to heat up, soon enough." Lowell responded before continuing his way towards Kurt.

Soon, the two friends found themselves facing off against each other. A small grin formed on Kurt's face. "Sorry about that. It took longer than I expected. Though, I hope that the wait was worth it." he said, and Blaziken took a step forward. Right before Lowell got to the middle of the clearing, Kurt placed a metal brace around Blaziken's right wrist. In the center of it is a small sphere with something resembling a red wisp in the middle.

Lowell took out a Pokeball and released Charizard. When the Flame Pokemon saw Blaziken, he let out a loud roar. "I think that it was." Lowell responded for both him and Charizard. He then rummaged through his backpack, until he found a brace that would go around Charizard's neck. The sphere in the center of it is blue with a black wisp in the middle of it. Once the brace was secured, they both turned to glare at their opponents. "Although, this battle is going to be much more of a challenge for you than the last one. Are you sure that you can handle it?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Please. We've had some time to get stronger since we last battled. I have a strong feeling that this will be the day that we finally defeat you." he responded.

"I doubt it, but let's see you try." Lowell said. To him, it could go either way. Though, the results don't matter too much to him. He is just happy that they get to battle like this again. Still, there is no way that he is going to go easy on Kurt. That would just take the fun out of it.

Greninja decided to act as the referee for this battle. "The battle between Lowell and Kurt is about to begin. Each trainer will be allowed one Pokemon, and the battle will be over when either side's Pokemon are unable to battle." he explained the rules. "Are you both ready?" he asked, looking between both opponents. When he received the affirmative from both, he took that as the sign to begin the battle. "Begin!"

Blaziken and Charizard both charged towards one another. It is fire against fire in this surely intense battle. Will Kurt and Blaziken finally earn a win against Lowell, or will Lowell and Charizard earn another victory?

* * *

 **A/N: Well, I finally managed to get this chapter out! I hope that you all enjoyed it! I greatly apologize for the long delay in updating, but things have been rather stressful for me lately. College hasn't been easy, and that is what I have been trying to focus on, especially after a mix-up with one of my grades. I would like to say the next chapter will be out sooner than this one, but than I might end up being a liar, and I don't want that to happen. I have no idea when I will update next, but I do hope for it to be sooner than two weeks.**

 **That being said, I also have a couple other announcements to make. The first one may upset a couple of you, depending on if you read my other works. For the time being, I am placing 'The Brother's Legacy' on hold. I don't want to be working on two stories at the same time, especially since I have also been going through some difficulties with college. I will continue it once I get a little further with this story, or when things become a little less stressful for me.**

 **My other announcement is that I have posted a poll for this story. I have been thinking about giving Wendy another Pokémon, but I would like some help in picking between two choices that I have in mind. So, if you have a preference between the two, please vote so that I know which one most people want to see. Although, if you have an idea that I don't have included in the poll, please feel free to send me a PM, and I will consider adding your choice to the poll. Though, there is no guarantee that it will be added.**

 **Anyways, will all of that said and done, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, and that you will be patient for the next one, whenever that may be. If you did enjoy, please leave a review so that I can get your opinions. It is always greatly appreciated! Like always, I hope that you all have a wonderful day, or night!**


	20. Chapter 20

Red and green clashed with each other as Blaziken's foot met with Charizard's claws. As soon as the Blaze Kick and Dragon Claw met, it caused a shock wave that ripped through the air and created a gust of wind that threatened to sweep some of the guild members off their feet. The two opposing Pokemon continued to push forward with their attacks attempting to overpower the other, completely ignoring the effects of their attacks around them.

With a loud roar and a burst of strength, Charizard slashed forward with his claws and pushed Blaziken's foot back. However, instead of allowing himself to panic, Blaziken brought his other leg around following through with another Blaze Kick. This time, the attack connected directly with the side of Charizard's head making the Flame Pokémon's head jerk back from the force. The fire didn't hurt him all that much, but the strength in Blaziken's legs pack quite the punch, or quite the kick, technically.

Ignoring the small bruise that formed on his head, Charizard just moved his head back to glare competitively at the Fire/Fighting-Type. He gave a low growl, expressing his displeasure of the kick he just received. "Just as strong as ever." he said begrudgingly.

Blaziken smirked in response, not letting his guard drop. "Thanks. Though, you seem to have gotten a little rusty. You wouldn't have normally gotten hit by such an attack so easily." he countered, which only made Charizard continue his growls.

As much as he hates to admit it, he hasn't been at his best, recently. First the fight against Toxicroak, and now he let Blaziken get such an easy hit in so quickly. As he remembered his past failure, flames began to gather in his mouth. He isn't going to let this sort of thing keep happening, if he can help it.

"The battle is just getting started! Charizard, give them a taste of your **Flamethrower!** " Lowell called out, swiping an arm forwards.

Without any hesitation, Charizard's mouth opened and released a powerful stream of flames directly in front of him. The flames shot out and spread across the grassy battlefield, burning the grass and charring parts of the ground. Just seconds before the attack hit Blaziken, he jumped backwards several yards to escape the treacherous flames. Despite being a Fire-type, Blaziken can still feel the intensity behind the flames, making him and his trainer grin, happy that they their rivals hadn't lost their strength in the past couple of years. If anything, they have only gotten stronger, which makes them even more eager to continue to fight.

Kurt cracked his knuckles before punching forward with one arm. "Now that we know they are taking this seriously, let's follow things up with a double **Brick Break!** " he ordered.

Following his trainer's directions, Blaziken leapt forward into battle. His hands began to glow orange once again, one held out in front of the other. He aimed for Charizard's belly, it being the biggest target. However, just as Blaziken reached his fellow Fire-type, Charizard flapped his wings hard, lifting him higher into the air while also creating a powerful gust of wind that threatened to knock Blaziken off-balance.

With Charizard in a position above the momentarily distracted Pokemon, Lowell saw this as a chance to strike. " **Dragon Claw** from above!" he ordered.

Charizard's claws became elongated with the familiar draconic energy, swooping down to slash at his opponent. The first set of claws struck part of Blaziken's arm, making him let out a small grimace of pain. As the second set of claws came down, Blaziken managed to bring his arm around and block the attack with his still activated Brick Break. The two attacks fought for dominance for a few seconds, until they cancelled each other out. Out of the two of them, Blaziken was the one who recovered first, and he leapt forward, ready to strike Charizard with another Brick Break.

The attack hit Charizard in the stomach, sending him a little further up into the air. However, it was not before he had grabbed hold of one of Blaziken's arms and took him with him. Once they were a bit higher, Charizard spun Blaziken around once before throwing him back towards the ground with his full strength.

"Before he hits the ground, nail him with a **Mega Punch!** " Lowell commanded.

The Flame Pokemon did as he was told and began to dive down after his opponent. He stretched out an arm, his hand beginning to glow a bright white. It didn't take long before he was just a couple of inches away from his target, both of them nearing the ground. Charizard reeled his fist back before slamming it hard into Blaziken's chest, sending him crashing the rest of the way down. There was a loud crash, and the ground shook while a small cloud of dust rose from where Blaziken had plummeted. The dust blocked Blaziken from view, but cracks could be seen spreading across the ground from the site of impact.

So far, the mages of Fairy Tail are watching with mouths agape. Compared to the previous battle, this one has much more action, and the attacks are a lot more devastating than before. With two opponents on near-equal grounds, there is no need for them to hold back, and that only makes the battle even more exciting.

"That was one mean punch, right there!" Natsu commented. He has never gotten a chance to see Charizard fight before, and it makes him pumped, knowing that Charmeleon could possibly become that strong in the future. "They better win, too. I bet over a thousand Jewel on them."

"Aye, Sir! I bet some fish on them, too!" he agreed, ever so hoping that Lowell and Charizard win so that he can get even more yummy fish.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. That punch was pretty good, but up until then, it looked to me like Blaziken had the upper hand. I say that they've got this one in the bag." he responded. Though, that is mainly because he bet on Kurt and Blaziken, and he wants to believe that they are going to win.

Although, Erza believes otherwise. She also chose not to bet on either of them, knowing that the outcome could very well go either way. "They seem evenly matched to me. The first major blow was from that Mega Punch. The attacks that Blaziken managed to land did some damage, but Charizard was easily able to recover from them." she reasoned.

Levy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. That is because Charizard is part Flying-type and Fighting-type attacks aren't very effective against him. Plus, since both are Fire-types, neither of them will take much damage from the other's fire-based attacks. In this scenario, Charizard has the advantage." she explained. The others looked at her a bit in shock, though they should've figured as much. She has spent more time with Lowell than anyone else in the guild, so she is bound to have learned these things quicker than them. Though, she also is one of the smarter members of the guild, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise to the others. If anyone were to remember the type matchups, it would be her.

Greninja nodded his head, pleased with her answer. "That is correct. Charizard does have the advantage when it comes to typing. Still, after battling each other countless times, they've learned that type advantage isn't everything. While Charizard does have the advantage in typing, Blaziken is the stronger of the two when it comes to brute force. Charizard, on the other hand, is faster and has mobility on his side, with his ability to fly." he explained. Given his knowledge on both Pokémon's' moves, he would give the edge to Charizard. Although, Kurt is known for finding ways to catch opponent off-guard in any way that he can. "This fight is far from over. We've yet to see anything close to their full strength."

Natsu scratched his head in confusion, not fully understanding what Greninja meant. "What are you talking about? This isn't them fighting at their full strength?" he asked.

Greninja just kept his head facing towards the ongoing battle, a small grin making an appearance. "You'll find out what I mean soon enough. Just shut up and keep watching." he responded.

As much as Natsu wanted to punch Greninja for telling to shut up, he just grumbled and did as the Ninja Pokemon said. He would rather not distract himself from the rest of the fight.

The dust finally began to settle, revealing Blaziken standing up in what appears to be a crater the stretches a few yards around him. He brushed some dirt off his shoulders before returning his glaring attention towards the Flame Pokemon that just landed back on the ground with a heavy flutter of his wings. That last hit hurt quite a bit, and it showed to Blaziken that Charizard's strength hasn't faded since their last battle. Though, this also means that he is going to have to step it up a bit, if he is going to want to have a chance at winning this.

Despite the small setback, Kurt is still grinning. His fists are clenched in excitement, glad to finally have a challenging opponent once again. "Man, have I missed this. It almost makes me wish that I had stayed in Kalos a bit longer, because this is definitely the best battle that I've had in a while" he told his friend. This is also helping him relieve quite a bit of stress. He may not show it, but dealing with Team Tempest's foolishness for the past several months has really worn down a lot of his patience. A thrilling battle is just what he and his Pokemon needed to wind down some.

Lowell shrugged. "You could've visited, if you really wanted to. No one was stopping you." he responded. Though, he had to agree with Kurt. His last challenging battle was against Diantha, and that was over a year ago, at this point. "Hopefully you will be able to keep up with us after so long. Charizard, **Dragon Claw** , once more!"

Charizard lifted himself off the ground with his wings before charging at Blaziken, his claws once again elongated with the draconic energy. He swung at Blaziken, though the first set of claws just barely missed their target, being a few inched away from catching the Blaze Pokémon's head. In response to the onslaught of draconic slashes, Blaziken began to jump back, ducking and sidestepping to avoid being hit. However, with his superior speed, Charizard isn't having much difficulty keeping up with the Fire/Fighting-type.

Kurt watched as Blaziken dodged every attack, trying to come up with some sort of counter attack. He looked around the clearing, until his eyes settled on the tree line just yards behind Blaziken. He grinned, a plan popping into his mind. "Keep dodging, until you reach the forest edge!" he commanded.

Blaziken heard his trainer's call, and he had a good feeling he knew what Kurt was thinking. He continued to evade each swipe of Charizard's claws as he slowly but surely made his way towards the edge of the forest. Moments later, he found himself standing in front of a tree, with Charizard coming at him with full speed.

Lowell knew that something didn't seem right, but he pushed that thought to the side. He noticed that Blaziken had trapped himself between Charizard and the tree, leaving him open for an attack. "Hit him with a **Mega Punch** before he can get away!"

The Flame Pokémon's draconic claws disappeared, allowing a glowing, white energy to spiral around his fist. He swung forward, however, his fist met the bark of the tree that was once behind Blaziken. Suddenly, he noticed the shadow above him, and he looked up to see Blaziken hopping over him. He had used the tree as a springboard to launch over him, and it had resulted in Charizard knocking the tree over.

In midair, Blaziken turned around to face Charizard. He soon landed on the ground, his legs digging into the earth and skidding back a couple of feet. By the time he had managed to stop sliding back, he had left a trail of dirt in front of him. He then leaned a little forward before launching towards Charizard again, while his back is turned to him.

Kurt clenched his fist in anticipation. _"Every hit matters. We need to get some damage in whenever we can."_ he thought. "Aim for his back and use **High Jump Kick!** " Kurt ordered, punching forward with one hand.

Blaziken built up momentum as he was zooming towards his opponent. He brought his knee forward, ready to drill it into Charizard's back. Charizard looked back, attempting to move away, but Blaziken was coming in too fast. His knee was buried into the bigger Fire-type's back, sending him crashing through the splintering trees. Instead of backing up, Blaziken kept going along with Charizard, raising his other leg above his head.

" **Blaze Kick!** "

His leg caught fire, before he slammed it into Charizard's head. Charizard let out an audible gasp of pain as he was pushed into the ground, causing the ground directly beneath them to members of the guild gawked at the sight.

"That didn't look good!" Jet exclaimed.

Droy nodded his head in agreement, taking a bite out of a drumstick. "I know I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that kick." he commented.

"Hopefully Charizard will be alright after that." Wendy said worriedly.

Beside her, Carla looked on with narrowed eyes. "That was quite a spill that he took. I wouldn't blame anyone for backing down after such a hit." she commented.

Gajeel heard their worried thoughts, and he let out an audible scoff. "Ah, quit your jabbering. I'm sure the big lizard has taken a lot worse than that kick. He's pathetic, if he can't shake off something like that." he said with his arms crossed.

Panther Lily looked at his dragon slayer with mild surprise. "You surprise me, Gajeel. I didn't think you were even paying attention to the battle." he said.

In response, Gajeel gave a small huff before looking away from the black Exceed. "I'm only paying attention because it is decent fight. I could care less who wins. I just don't think it is wise to count the lizard out so quickly." he cleared up. That is definitely something that he learned after his fight against Natsu, and since being a part of Fairy Tail for some time.

Natsu snickered after hearing this. "It sounds like someone's starting to get soft on us." he joked, making a big tick mark appear on Gajeel's forehead. Gajeel then got in Natsu's face, his forehead pressing against the pink-haired teen's.

"Shut up, Salamander! Need I remind you who just got their butt handed to them minutes ago?!" he yelled in Natsu's face. However, Natsu isn't one to take insults like that lying down, and he immediately began to yell back at him.

"I'd like to see you do better, bucket head!" Natsu retorted.

Before they could further their argument into a fight, Erza showed up behind Natsu and bonked him on the top of the head with her gauntlet-covered fist. He fell to the ground with a brand new bump on his head, nearly passing out from the pain.

Erza crossed her arms under her large, armored bust, returning her attention towards the battle. "Behave yourself and watch the battle. Perhaps you'll learn something that will help you and Charmeleon progress in the future." she said, earning a small groan from the near-unconscious dragon slayer. He didn't want to make her even madder than she already was.

Ignoring Natsu's pain, Levy kept her eyes on the other side of the clearing, where Blaziken and Charizard are. She has the same worries as the others, though she does agree that Gajeel made a valid point. It looked like it did a lot of damage, but looks can be deceiving. After all, Blaze Kick was a Fire-type attack. Still, if Blaziken's legs are as strong as the Pokedex entry suggests them to be, then there is still a chance that Charizard is hurting right now. She can only hope that Lowell will think of a plan to turn this around.

Away from the others, Charizard is still lying on his stomach with Blaziken's foot placed firmly on the back of his head, preventing him from getting back up. His head is aching from the blow just dealt to it, though he still has enough strength to keep fighting. He isn't going to let a single kick bring him down. It would be a disgrace to the rest of his team if he went down so easily. So, instead of just lying there and let Blaziken have the better of him, he pushed against the ground with his arms, slowly lifting himself off the ground. Blaziken added more pressure against Charizard's head, which only proved to cease Charizard's ascent from the ground. Though, he wasn't budging, which meant that he wasn't going to drop back to the ground, either.

Lowell smiled at the determination Charizard is showing. _"That's what I'm talking about."_ he thought. Unlike Kurt, Lowell hasn't revealed all of Charizard's move to his opponent, just yet. With this, he should be able to bring things back to an even playing field. "It's about time that we get that foot off you! Pry it off with **Fire Fang!** " he ordered.

Intense flames gathered around Charizard's teeth, making Charizard's jaws even more ferocious than they were before. He craned his neck upwards, biting down on Blaziken's foot. The Blaze Pokemon let out a loud cry of pain, flinching and letting his guard down. Charizard pushed Blaziken's foot off before standing up and knocking the other Pokemon away with his large wings. Blaziken went thudding into a nearby tree, knocking some of the air out of his lungs.

Blaziken let out a small cough, opening his eyes and looking ahead of himself to see Charizard coming at him with a Mega Punch. He attempted to move away, but Charizard was too fast for him to match at the moment, and the fist connected with his jaw, sending him crashing through the tree and flying back into the clearing back-first. He slid through the earth, making the ground part beneath him as he created a path along the ground. He finally came to a stop once he was near the center of the clearing, lying on his back.

Charizard made his way back to the clearing, landing in front of Lowell. He and his trainer watched as Blaziken stood back up, rubbing a hand against his sore jaw.

Kurt smiled wide, his eyes locked with Lowell's as he searched in his pocket for something. "This has been a lot of fun, Lowell. Though, I say that it is about time that we heat things up a bit." he said, pulling out the keys to his motorcycle. In the center of the key's base, there is a keystone. "So, what do you think? You ready to start wrapping things up?" he asked.

His brown-haired friend nodded in agreement, holding up his right hand and showing off his keyring. "As ready as I'll ever be." he responded.

Cana took notice of the key in Kurt's hand, and she raised a brow at this. What was a little key going to do? "Hey, guys? Do any of you know what that key is for?" she asked. Although, to her disappointment, none of her fellow guildmates had an answer to that. They are just as confused as she is.

"Yeah. Lowell is showing off that ring of his, too. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I have a feeling that things are about to get pretty crazy around here." Gray commented.

Hearing Gray comment on Lowell's ring, Levy attempted to get a better look at it. She's taken notice of it before, but other than it having a strange stone in the center of it, she has no idea what use it could be to him in battle.

Although, moments later, her eyes widened slightly in surprise upon remembering something from over a month ago. It was when they were in Kalos, and Lowell had given them a brief explanation of Mega Evolution.

* * *

 _"Mega Evolution? What is that?" Lucy asked._

 _Placing a hand on his chin, Lowell answered. "The professor explains it better than I do, but it is essentially a temporary evolution that gives a Pokemon, who is already fully evolved, a boost in power. However, it requires several things." he explained._

 _"What things?" Natsu asked, interested in Mega Evolution. If he ever gets his own Pokemon, he wants to experience Mega Evolution for himself._

 _"First, you need two stones. One of them is held by a certain Pokemon, while the other is kept by the trainer. They are called a Mega Stone and a Keystone." Lowell explained, holding up his right hand. "The stone in my ring is a Keystone, and several of my Pokemon have Mega Stones of their own."_

* * *

Levy let out a small gasp, surprised that they might be about to see not just one, but two Pokemon Mega Evolve at once. She can't imagine just how strong the two Pokemon will become after this. Though, now she has a bad feeling that they might be a bit too close to the action. "Maybe we should back up a bit, guys." she suggested, earning strange looks from the others.

"What do you mean? Why would we do that?" Natsu asked. "Shouldn't we want to be closer, so that we can see all the action?"

"Do you know what they are about to do, Levy?" Lucy asked curious.

Levy nodded her head in response. "Yeah. Do you remember what Lowell told us about Mega Evolution?" she asked her friend.

Lucy's brows furrowed in thought. It took her a moment, but then she recalled their conversation over a month ago, along with the dragon slayer and maker-mage beside her. "You can't be serious. Both of them are about to Mega Evolve? That's crazy." she said.

Natsu, on the other hand, just got more excited. He has wanted to see Mega Evolution ever since Lowell mentioned it, and now he is finally getting the chance to do so. "Oh yeah! This is gonna be awesome! I'm all fired up now!" he exclaimed.

"Calm down before you spew fire out of excitement. There is about to be enough fire to go around." Gray commented.

Erza and the others looked at them in confusion. They hadn't been in Kalos with them when Lowell explained Mega Evolution, so none of them have any idea what they are in for. "Mega Evolution? What is that? Is it some sort of power up?" Erza asked curiously.

However, she received no direct answer. Instead, Levy just motioned towards the battlefield. "You are about to see for yourself. Just watch, and you'll understand." she said.

Lowell touched the stone in his ring, and a blue symbol began to shine from Charizard's abdomen. No drastic changes have been made yet, though a sudden increase in power could be sensed by the mages. To Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers present, they could sense a strange draconic presence emerging from Charizard.

A similar thing happened when Kurt tapped the stone in his key. A similar power surge could be felt, and a red symbol began to shine from Blaziken's abdomen. He began to give off a much more intense heat from his body as his power continued to grow.

It's time! Charizard/Blaziken, Mega Evolve!" the two trainers announced simultaneously. Lowell held his ring up to the sky, whereas Kurt held up his key.

Strings of light came out of Lowell's ring as they began to connect with Charizard. In response to this, Charizard's body began to shine brightly as it began to morph. His body began to get a little bulkier, improving on his physical prowess. Spikes formed on his shoulders, and his claws became sharper and longer than they were previously. Fire is now spilling out of the sides of his mouth; however, it is now blue instead of its usual red. With this change, his fire is now much more intense in heat and power. Several moments passed, revealing his altered appearance. Now, Charizard's skin has become pitch-black with his belly being blue. His wings are blue, his eyes have turned a deep-red, and the flame on the tip of his tail has also become blue. In contrast to his previous form, as Mega Charizard, he has a much more menacing and draconic look.

Mega Charizard unleashed a powerful roar that sent shockwaves throughout the air, announcing his transformation for everyone to hear. The guild watched in shock with wide eyes as they sensed a drastic power increase within just a couple of seconds.

"A-absolutely astounding." the Master commented, being just as shocked as the rest of his guild. He can't fathom just how much energy is being released from one being at one time. _"So, this is what the Pokemon are capable of when working together with humans. If I'm not mistaken, then this power might even match that of the Ten Wizard Saints."_ he thought.

Beside his grandfather, Laxus watched the transformation unfold with his arms crossed underneath his chest. He is impressed by the power, as well, but he seems to be amused by this. "Well, it turns out that these guys are more than just talk. This is going to be an interesting fight." he said with a small grin. As much as he hates to admit it, he would have a hard time facing power of this magnitude. Though, he wouldn't mind having a crack at it anyways.

"Blue flames?! Just how powerful is he?!" Macao asked in amazement.

"Man, I bet those flames are tasty!" Natsu exclaimed, imaging how good such powerful flames would taste. Although, those around him sweat-drop at how he saw something of such power as some sort of buffet.

"Yeah. They might even be stronger than your flames." Gray commented with a smirk.

"Don't push it!" Natsu retorted.

"To think, such intense power could be brought out through the use of those peculiar stones." Erza commented. "I am quite impressed."

Levy nodded in agreement, finding it hard to look away from the magnificent display in front of her. She knew that it would be crazy, but she didn't imagine Charizard to become this powerful as a result of Mega Evolution. _"To think that Ralts and Natsu's Charmeleon might be able to do that someday."_ she thought, remembering how Lowell said that both of Ralts' final evolutions could potentially Mega Evolve.

However, it wasn't done just yet. After all, Blaziken has yet to undergo his transformation yet. While the guild was watching Charizard's transformation, they were snapped out of their thoughts when they sensed another great swell of power.

Just like with Lowell's ring, strings of light began to come out of Kurt's key, connecting with Blaziken. Blaziken began to shine as his body started to morph as well. It has now lost its yellow markings, instead gaining a pair of black markings on its upper legs and on its chest. The hair-like feathers now resemble a wing-like form, pointing upwards. On his head, the crest has changed into a flat horn curving backwards. The fire on his wrists have also become longer, resembling streamers.

Unlike Charizard, Blaziken remained silent as the light surrounding him slowly dissipated. Though, the power that is emanating from him is nothing to scoff at, that is for sure.

Some of the members were overwhelmed after sensing yet another powerful presence. They couldn't believe just how powerful either of them had become in such a short amount of time, and it also frightened some of them a bit, knowing that either Pokemon could easily wipe the floor with them.

"I-incredible! I haven't sensed this much power since the incident with the Dragons during the Grand Magic Games." she said, still in awe.

Carla could only nod in agreement, being equally as impressed as her blue-haired friend. "It is certainly something to behold."

Lowell looked at Charizard with slight shock written across his face. He knows that Charizard become stronger once he mega evolves, but he hasn't mega evolved since Lowell learned how to use magic, until now. Being able to sense energy is something that Lowell still needs to get used to. Though, he wasn't expecting it to feel so overwhelming.

Even though Kurt can't sense their Pokémon's power, a small shiver went down his spine. He doesn't need to be able to sense them to know that they are powerful. Though, it only excites him more, knowing that the climax of their battle won't be boring. "Now we're cooking with grease!" he exclaimed. "So, are you ready?" Kurt asked.

Lowell smirked at his friend. "Do you even need to ask?" he responded. Charizard roared out in agreement, shaking the air around them. "Let's show them what our bond is capable of! Mega Charizard, **Dragon Claw!** " he ordered with a swipe of his hand.

Charizard acted without hesitation, allowing his claws to extend even further with the draconic energy. Compared to the length before he Mega Evolved, his claws are nearly a foot longer when using Dragon Claw. He lunged forward, flying towards Blaziken with enhanced speed.

Not wanting to be outdone, Kurt was quick to counter. "We'll respond with **Blaze Kick!** " he announced.

Blaziken launched forward, leaving behind a crater where he once stood. After Mega Evolving, his strength has increased and the muscles in his legs have become stronger as well. The two Pokemon met half-way across the clearing, a blazing foot meeting draconic claws in mid-air. The air vibrated violently and the ground directly beneath them shattered upon the impact. Though, the two of them didn't stop there.

Charizard brought his other set of claws in from the side, attempting to strike at Blaziken's vulnerable face. Before the attack could land; however, Blaziken brought his other leg up to take the hit. Then, with as much strength as he could, he pushed Charizard's claws away.

"Mega Blaziken, **Brick Break!** " Kurt ordered.

Blaziken slammed a glowing fist into Charizard's chest, sending him hurdling back towards the ground. Though, with a flap of his wings, Charizard was able to remain hovering just feet above the ground.

Lowell smiled a bit. Charizard may have taken a pretty hard hit, but now Blaziken was stuck in the air without any means of dodging. "Scorch him with your enhanced **Flamethrower!** "

An intense stream of blue flames were unleashed from Charizard's mouth, heading in a path straight for Blaziken. The Fire/Fighting-type tried to move out of the way, but being in the air made it more difficult, and the flames made impact with him directly, enveloping his body.

The flames nipped at Blaziken's skin. They didn't leave a burn, but he could still feel the heat and power behind the attack. Still, he wasn't going to be overtaken by some fire. Instead of waiting for the flames to dissipate, he dove headfirst into the fire, racing down towards Charizard.

It took a moment, but Charizard then began to notice something emerging from the fire. He took a step back, but Blaziken quickly closed that distance using the speed he gained from his Speed Boost ability.

" **High-Jump Kick!** " Blaziken kicked Charizard hard in his stomach, making him hunch over slightly and let out a gasp of pain. Not stopping there, Blaziken began to push Charizard back with a barrage of quick Brick Breaks.

 _"_ _Crap! He was faster than I was expecting."_ Lowell thought. He was aware of Blaziken's Speed Boost upon Mega Evolution, but Blaziken has never been this fast before, so soon after Mega Evolving. "Try to block it!" he ordered Charizard, hoping to regain some sort of footing.

Charizard quickly reactivated his Dragon Claw in an attempt to block the oncoming punches from Blaziken. He did manage to counter a few of the blows, but Blaziken was moving too fast for Charizard to handle, and some attacks did manage to make it past Charizard's defenses, leaving him with even more scrapes and bruises.

The two Pokemon continued to trade blows with each other, slowly chipping away at the other's stamina and health. While Lowell knows that they can both keep this up for a while, he knows that this will just end up turning into another stalemate. So, he decided to take the initiative and stop the stalemate from continuing. "Grab hold of his arm!" he ordered Charizard.

He was still in the middle of clashing blows with Blaziken, but he stopped blocking with one set of claws and got a firm grip on one of Blaziken's arms. Even with his enhanced speed, with the two of them so close to each other, it made it rather difficult for him to escape, especially while still trading attacks.

"Now, **Mega Punch!** " Lowell ordered. He is hoping that the power boost from Tough Claws will be enough to disorientate their opponent.

Sure enough, Charizard clenched his fist, reeling it back and decking Blaziken hard in the jaw, sending him flying once more. He then took to the air to catch up with him before he hit the ground.

Blaziken opened his eyes, only to see Charizard appear right above him. He moved his arms in front of himself to brace for the hit, though it never came. Instead, he was grabbed by the neck. Charizard picked Blaziken up and tossed him into the air. While Blaziken can jump high, the sky is Charizard's territory, and it gives him the advantage in this scenario.

Blaziken looked down to see Charizard flying up after him. Though he isn't very comfortable with fighting this high up, he will have to make do. Once the Fire/Dragon-type got closer, Blaziken spun to the side, narrowly avoiding another Dragon Claw. He then grabbed Charizard by the arm, pulling him over his head. Once Charizard was above him again, he flipped upside down and kicked off Charizard's stomach, using him as a springboard to launch himself back towards the ground.

Recovering from the sudden kick, Charizard shifted his focus back to the Pokemon beneath him. As Blaziken was descending back towards the ground, Charizard unleashed a volley of Flamethrower attacks, hoping to slow him down a bit.

The Blaze Pokemon spun mid-air to avoid the streams of blue fire that rained down upon him. Each attack narrowly missed him, though he was still grazed by bits of the fire. It was enough for him to notice, but it wasn't enough to halt his progress. He landed back on the ground, his feet digging into the earth.

With Blaziken back on the ground, Kurt came up with an idea that he hoped would catch Lowell off-guard. He is aware that Blaziken's moves aren't very effective against Charizard, but where there is a will, there is a way, and Kurt has both of those. "Let's shake things up a bit! Use **Earthquake!** " he ordered.

This made Lowell's eyes widen in surprise, and he rose a brow at Kurt, confused as to what he was planning. Sure, Charizard is no longer a Flying-type while he is Mega Evolved, but he is still flying in the air. What good will Earthquake do? "You do realize that Charizard is flying and that Earthquake won't have any effect, right?" he asked.

Kurt nodded, a smirk forming on his lips. "Of course, I do. Though, just because a move isn't directly effective, it doesn't mean that it still can't come in handy." he responded.

While that is true, Lowell was still confused as he watched Blaziken stomp his foot into the ground. At first, nothing happened, but then all at once, the ground began to shake and shatter underneath Blaziken's foot, sending shockwaves throughout the ground and creating small cracks that soon formed larger crevices. Lowell and Kurt had to watch carefully where they stood now, otherwise they would fall into one of the growing crevices.

The attack effected the entire clearing, and then some, forcing the members of Fairy Tail to grab hold of something to prevent themselves from falling over. Some grabbed hold of nearby trees, while others tried to distance themselves from the destruction cause by that one attack.

Gray created a wall of ice behind him in hopes of using that to prevent his fall. Although, cracks quickly began to form in that, as well. "This is beginning to get a little ridiculous! At this rate, they are going to destroy the entire forest!" he exclaimed.

"Aye sir! The fact that he can do all of this with just one foot is absolutely insane!" Happy agreed. He is flying in the air above Gray, holding Natsu up. The other Exceeds and dragon slayers thought of the same thing, and they are now all hovering above the cracked earth.

Greninja is in a nearby tree, making sure that Levy doesn't fall. "You haven't seen anything yet. I'd say that the end of the battle is drawing near, and when it does, things are going to get even more hectic." he said. As much as the others wanted to not believe that, they won't be surprised if Greninja's prediction comes true.

Charizard looked down at the shattered ground, an amused scoff leaving his mouth. It was a lot of damage, but it couldn't reach him in the air. "That isn't even close to reaching m- "he was interrupted by a large piece of rubble flying right towards him. He flew to the left, letting the rubble fly right past his head. When he looked back down, he saw several more pieces of rubble coming his way.

Blaziken is using the shattered earth to fight from a distance, while also slowly wearing down Charizard's energy. He just kept throwing whatever he could grab hold of, whether that be large pieces of earth, fragments of destroyed boulders, or logs that were uprooted from the ground. With his strength, it wasn't a very difficult task, though it did prove to take its tole on him after some time. He would throw a piece of debris into the air, and then he would kick it to make it reach Charizard.

As the debris came to him, Charizard tore it apart with his Dragon Claw, or he broke right through it with his Mega Punch. The debris just kept coming, and he had no choice but to continue to destroy it as it reaches him. He could try to escape, but with how much Blaziken is kicking into the sky, there isn't much of a clear path for him to take. He could also try to land, but after Blaziken's Earthquake, the ground is so torn up that there isn't a good place for him to land.

 _"_ _This is our chance!"_ Kurt thought. While Charizard is busy dealing with the debris, they can launch another attack. "Mega Blaziken, climb the debris in mid-air and get above him!" he commanded.

Blaziken did as he was told and leaped into the air. He landed on a moving piece of rock, and then he began to hop from rubble to debris, steadily climbing up towards the distracted Charizard.

The Fire/Dragon-type was too busy to notice Blaziken's climbing, until he noticed the shadow looming above his head. When he looked up, Blaziken was already descending upon him with an outstretched leg. He brought his claws in front of him to block the incoming attack.

" **High-Jump Kick!** "

Blaziken's foot made contact with Charizard's claws, and sparks flew as they fought for dominance. For a moment, High-Jump Kick was pushing Charizard back, though with a loud roar of determination, Charizard gave one final push, knocking away Blaziken's leg. He then slashed his claws across the opposing Pokémon's chest, dealing a decent amount of damage and sending him flying back towards the ground.

Lowell grinned, seeing a prime opening. With Blaziken falling, he will be a much easier target. Though, if he wants to end things now, then he is going to have to pull out all the stops. "Keep your **Dragon Claw** activated and dive down after him! You know what to do after that!" he commanded. He mentally smirked. What they are about to do is something that Kurt hasn't seen them do before, so he is sure that it is going to catch him off-guard.

"Let's end this!" Mega Charizard yelled in response, diving after his fellow Fire-type.

Beads of sweat rolled down Kurt's face, both from the heat as well as from nervousness. By the way things are looking, it won't be long before the battle is over, and it doesn't seem to be in his favor. Though, not having too many ideas at the moment, he decided to settle for blocking. "Counter it with **Blaze Kick** when he reaches you!" he yelled.

Blaziken's foot lit aflame in response to the command. He flipped over so that he was facing Charizard; however, his eyes grew wide at what he saw. Instead of seeing Charizard, Blaziken can only see a spiral of blue flames and draconic energy heading straight towards him. Charizard has used Flamethrower combined with Dragon Claw and started spinning, turning both moves into a single devastating attack.

He was caught off-guard by this, but he didn't let it deter him. Blaziken did just as his trainer had said, and when Charizard reached him, he countered with his blazing foot. Momentarily, the two attacks met, creating red, green, and blue sparks that flew between them. However, Blaziken was easily overpowered by the combination attack, and he was pushed back, allowing Charizard to slam directly into his stomach with his claws outstretched. Blaziken let out a loud howl of pain as the attack drove him into the ground. Not even seconds afterwards, there was a large explosion of blue and green, generating enough heat to make the members of Fairy Tail feel it from yards away.

Both Lowell and Kurt were nearly blown away by the explosion, but they managed to hold their ground, albite barely. And, despite being used to intense heat due to training their own respective Fire-types, they found the heat from this combined attack to be almost unbearable from such a close distance. They are both sweating buckets as they struggled to keep themselves up.

Once the initial shock from the attack passed, everyone was eager to see the results. Not many can imagine both sides to still be standing after witnessing that, though they've encountered bigger surprises than that. Though, they had to wait until the smoke from the explosion dissipated before they could find out exactly what had happened.

Minutes later, the smoke was cleared, revealing a large crater in the middle of the field with an unconscious Blaziken lying in it. He has reverted to his original form, his body covered in larges bruises, some cuts, and surprisingly enough a couple of minor burns. Standing across from him, as best as he could with the lopsided earth beneath him, is Charizard. He is breathing heavily and covered in many of the same injuries as Blaziken, though he is still in his Mega Form.

The first one to fully recover from the shock was Greninja, who was still technically acting as the referee for the battle. He was shocked at the power behind the attack, but it wasn't the first time he has seen it. He witnessed it several times during their training sessions. Though, they never used it while Mega Evolved, so he expected the increase in power. "Blaziken is unable to battle, which means that the victory goes to Charizard and Lowell!" he announced.

Those who bet on Lowell and Charizard were very happy that they managed to win some Jewel, though some were still a bit too shocked for words. Even when you are a member of Fairy Tail, it isn't every day that you see destruction on this kind of level. Even Natsu and some of the other more rambunctious members would have some trouble managing that amount of destruction.

Kurt stumbled his way through the field, attempting to not trip along the way, until he was next to the crater. He made a small hop before sliding down the crater and stopping just feet away from Blaziken. He smiled sadly down at his partner. "Well, I guess that settles that. I wasn't expecting him to pull out a combination attack like that." he admitted before taking out Blaziken's Pokeball. "You did well, so get plenty of rest." he said, calling his friend back.

Charizard looked down at Kurt from the ledge of the crater. His body glowed with a rainbow energy, before reverting to his original form. When he did so, he nearly collapsed to the ground from exhaustion. The fight had really taken its tole on him. However, before he could fall, Lowell caught him and propped him up with his shoulder and placed an arm around his back. Charizard looked down at his trainer to see his smiling face.

"We haven't had a challenge like that in a while, huh?" Lowell asked.

Charizard nodded in agreement. "It was well worth the wait. Though, I think I've definitely deserved a long rest after that one." he said, making Lowell chuckle in amusement.

"Sure thing, buddy. If need be, I'll just ask for help from the others on the job tomorrow. I'm sure that they'd be willing to give you a break." he responded. "Well, maybe everyone except Dragonite. She'll probably give you a hard time about it." he added.

The Flame Pokemon snorted in response. "I may be tired, but I'll still wipe the floor with that obnoxious Dragon-type if she starts anything." he declared.

Lowell chuckled, taking out Charizard's Pokeball. "Sure you will. Just take it easy for a little while, alright?" he let Charizard return to his Pokeball after receiving a nod of affirmation.

"Lowell!"

Lowell turned around to see Kurt climbing out of the crater. He gladly walked over and offered his friend a hand, which Kurt gratefully accepted and allowed Lowell to help pull him onto his feet. After brushing some dirt off his pants, he grinned and shared a fist bump with Lowell.

"You got us this time around. Though, expect next time to be different." he responded with a joking smirk.

Lowell returned it, nodding in agreement. "Now that you are here, we will definitely get another chance to go at it." he responded. "Anyways, we should probably go meet up with the others. I'm sure that most of them would like a proper explanation for what just happened."

With the battle done and behind them, they returned to the others, which like Lowell thought, wanted to hear some more information about Mega Evolution, since most of them didn't even know such a thing existed. The two veteran trainers did their best to explain it, despite not being experts on the subject like Professor Sycamore.

Master Makarov hummed in contemplation. "So, it is the bond between trainer and Pokemon that results in this immense increase in power. I must say, the more that I learn about these Pokemon and their abilities, the more fascinated I become." he commented.

Erza nodded in agreeance. "I concur. It is truly impressive. Although, I am beginning to wonder where I would stand against one of these Mega Evolutions." she pondered. With her skills as an S-class wizard, she should be able to hold her own against one for a rather long time. Though, the amount of power exerted by Mega Evolution does leave her a little uncertain.

"Well, be my guest to try your luck against us, one day. Though, that day isn't today." Kurt said, chuckling and rubbing the back of his head. "After that battle, I think it is better to give the Pokemon a break."

"I agree. Besides, there is our job tomorrow to consider. We should make sure that we are all well rested, as to avoid any preventable instances." Lowell added.

Before Erza could get a response in, Natsu appeared in front of them, as loud as he always his. "That was awesome! One day, Charmeleon and I are going to be able to do that, and when we do, we are going to mop the floor with you!" he boldly declared.

Kurt laughed, willingly accepting the challenge. "Fine with me, pal. Have fun with that, though. It takes a lot more than just training to be able to Mega Evolve."

Natsu looked up at him, confusion written on his face. "Huh? What are you talking about?" he asked, making those around him sweat-drop.

"Were you seriously not paying attention?!" Lucy asked incredulously. When a fight is involved, he can get so enthralled in it. Yet, when it comes to explaining something, he just zones out. "You are hopeless." she said with her face in her palm.

Lowell sighed at Natsu's seemingly-short attention span. "For starters, Charmeleon would first have to become a Charizard. After that, you would have to find both a Keystone and the proper mega evolution stone to give to Charizard." he reiterated.

Natsu shrugged. "So? I'll just find those stones. It shouldn't be that hard."

"On the contrary, it is actually rather difficult to find them. Not only will you not be able to find them in Fiore; it is also fairly rare to stumble across them in the other regions." Kurt explained. "I was only able to get my Keyring because Steven Stone gave it to me."

"And mine was given to me by the Mega Evolution Guru." Lowell added.

Natsu's shoulders slumped over in sadness. "Ah man. That just sucks."

Lowell patted Natsu's shoulder comfortably. "Don't worry. I'm certain that when the time is right, you'll get your own." he said.

That seemed to cheer Natsu up somewhat, and he accepted that for now. After dealing with Natsu's eagerness, he noticed Levy standing there beside Greninja. She gave him a smile, which he then returned.

"Well, I guess that answers your question if I could win or not." he said jokingly.

Levy giggled. "I guess so. It almost makes me wish that I had bet on that battle." she responded truthfully. She doesn't normally bet, knowing that it is a bad habit to have, but if she would've trusted that he could win, then maybe she wouldn't have to worry so much about this month's rent. "Still, that was pretty awesome. I wasn't expecting both of you to use Mega Evolved Pokemon. They seem very powerful."

Lowell shrugged. "Yeah. Though, I normally try to keep it as a last resort. A trainer can only Mega Evolve one Pokemon per battle, since it uses up a lot of energy. You need to be very strategic with how you use it." he explained.

That makes sense to her. With something so powerful, it would be a little ridiculous if there was no limit to it. "That makes it more reasonable. It is still impressive, though. You just keep finding more ways to amaze me when it comes to Pokemon."

After that, there was a small moment of silence, allowing Kurt to get a good look at the both of them. He also remembered seeing them converse with each other before they arrived at the field. After some observation, he came to a rather quick conclusion. "Are you his girlfriend?" he asked, making both of them blush and look at him in disbelief. "I mean, the two of you seem pretty close. Honestly, I'm a little surprised. I wasn't expecting to come here and find out that you suddenly grew out of your anti-social phase and got yourself a girlfriend. Props for that, man!"

"Y-you came up with that after watching us talk for hardly a minute?" Lowell asked incredulously.

"And from earlier. Even at the guild, you two were sitting next to each other. I could be wrong, of course, but I like to think that I have a strong sense of perception when it comes to these kinds of things." he said with a playful wink.

"You mean your failed attempts at flirting with girls in the bars?" Lowell corrected. Kurt thinks that he is some sort of love expert, because of a couple of girls that led him on one night at the bar. He isn't too far away from the truth in this case, but that doesn't mean that he is a love expert. "I think that you've drank one too many mugs of booze if you still think you're some sort of love expert."

Kurt chuckled. "Think? I _know_ that I am a love expert." he stated. "Also, you can never have too much booze." he added, which resulted in him and Cana sharing a high-five, the brown-haired drinker having a victorious smirk on her face.

"I'm really starting to like this guy." she stated happily. For once, someone who understands and shares her love for drinking.

As much as she was happy the conversation turned away from her, Levy decided that she needed to clear things up. "That aside, no, we aren't dating. We are simply really good friends." she corrected, her blush still on her face. If she can't admit her real feelings to Lowell, then why would she admit them to one of his best friends?

Kurt nodded. "Alright, then. I apologize for assuming otherwise. I guess I just wanted to mess with him a bit." he said, wrapping an arm around his friend.

"It's fine." Lowell responded. Though, as discretely as he could, he whispered into Kurt's ear. "We are going to have a talk later."

A small grin formed on Kurt's face, having a strange feeling he knew what his friend wants to talk about. "Okay!" he said, clapping his hands together. "How about we all head back to the guild hall? After a loss like that, I could use a nice drink." he stated.

In response to that, Cana wrapped her arm around Kurt's shoulder. "Now we're talking. Since Mr. no drinking over there won't help you out, I'll pay this time around." she said with a sly grin.

Lowell groaned into his hand, already feeling a headache coming along. "Why does there have to be two of them?" he asked himself.

* * *

Everyone returned to the guild, where Lowell acted as damage control for Kurt and his drinking. It was hard to stop him, especially with Cana there, but he managed to keep him…almost sober. He can at least still walk by himself and speak in somewhat complete sentences. Though, once it became dark, it was a pain to get him back to the house without him trying to wander off. Normally, he would've just dumped him off at some hotel and let them deal with him, though he realized that he would have to pay for Kurt, which led to him settling for letting him crash at his house for a while.

Once they entered the house, Lowell headed straight for the guest bedroom and dumped Kurt on top of it. He laid there motionless for a moment, before he rolled over on his stomach and laughed. "I still can't believe that you of all people are crushing on a girl! I never thought I'd see the day!" his speech slightly slurred.

Right now, Lowell isn't sure which one is more shocking. The fact that Kurt is still awake after all this, or the fact that he actually chose to let him in on his crush on Levy. He is definitely regretting the second one. "I'm just surprised you didn't blurt that out in the middle of the guild hall." he mumbled.

"Hey. I may be drunk, but I'm not a jerk."

Lowell couldn't deny that. No matter how many times Kurt has gotten drunk, he has never blabbed about anything that was really important or that was someone's private business. He isn't sure how he does it, but that is one of the bright sides of Kurt's drinking. "I know. Just try to get some rest. I don't need your bad habits messing up our job."

Kurt rolled back onto his stomach, giving his friend a slight wave of the hand, showing that he had heard him. "Yeah, yeah. Just let me sleep." he said quickly before passing out.

As Lowell walked to his own room, he couldn't help but grin. No matter how much he complains, it is nice to see Kurt again. He may be a handful, but he kind of missed that since he returned to Hoenn. Though, he won't admit that to Kurt. He wouldn't let him live it down if he did. So, with his friend taken care of, he retired to his own room for a much-needed rest.

* * *

The next morning, Lowell and Kurt headed back to the guild hall to meet up with Wendy and Erza. Kurt had a bit of a hangover, but all he did was slip on a pair of sunglasses and directed his head towards the ground so that the sun wouldn't bother his eyes and give him an even bigger headache. Not too long after they arrived at the guild, Wendy and Erza showed up as well, and the four of them, plus Carla, went to the train station. Greninja decided to remain in his Pokeball, so that it wouldn't be so crowded on the train.

Lowell sits next to the window with Kurt on his right, with Wendy and Erza across from them, with Wendy sitting next to the window on their side. Carla sits quietly in Wendy's lap.

Minutes went by before any of them spoke up. "So, what exactly are the specifications of this job?" Lowell asked Erza, since she is the one who picked out the job.

Getting serious, Erza gave a quick rundown. "The place we are headed for is called Brook Town. It is located near a forest and some mountains. Apparently, some of the Pokemon that the townspeople have caught as pets have been going missing in the past two weeks. Apparently, a small group of criminals are being held responsible for the act, and the mayor of the town is requesting our services."

Lowell nodded in understanding. "Sounds simple enough." he responded. Though, his eyes turned hard when he noticed the apprehension on Erza's face. "Does something not seem right to you?" he asked.

She nodded. "You see, the price for the reward has been listed as five-hundred thousand Jewel." she said, making her fellow guild members gasp. Though, Kurt just scratched his head, not certain exactly how much five-hundred thousand counted for in this kingdom.

"I'm guessing that is a lot." he said, receiving a series of nods. "Okay, so what is the problem? That just means more money for us when we complete the job. Sounds like easy money to me."

Lowell sighed, shaking his head. "You're clearly still reeling from the hangover. The answer is simple. Why is the reward so high, for taking down a small group of criminals? Obviously, there is more to the request than mentioned." he explained.

"I do agree that something doesn't seem right." Carla responded.

Wendy nodded. "Yeah. There must be some reason behind it."

"Whatever the case may be, we need to be prepared for anything we may encounter. We should take the ride to the town to gather our thoughts on the matter." Erza decided, which the others had no problem with. It wouldn't be smart to walk into town without some sort of plan in place. Though, Kurt is just glad that he will have some time to get over his hangover before having to get to work.

* * *

In a hidden laboratory, two familiar figures are standing in front of a cylindrical, glass casing with tubes protruding from it. In the case, sitting on a raised pedestal, is a small, rat-like Pokemon with purple fur, a curled-up tail, and buck teeth. The Rattatta in the case is attached to the tubes, letting out small cries of pain as its energy is drained.

Soon, Dmitri moved from his spot in front of the casing to one of the computers off to the side of the room. He pressed a couple of buttons, effectively turning off the machine that was draining the Rattatta of his energy. As soon as the machines were turned off, Rattatta fell on his stomach, gasping for breath.

Etna walked over to where her guildmate was standing, looking at the results on the computer screen. She frowned a bit when she saw the results. "He didn't seem to have much energy to give." she replied.

Dmitri shook his head in response. "Most of them haven't. Though, most of the creatures in that town didn't seem very impressive. I'm not surprised that this one wasn't any different." he responded.

Etna groaned in response. "It has been two weeks since Astro had us come here. I still don't get why. We would be better off just using magic to restore the lacrima. Why does he insist on wasting time with these pests?" she said, motioning towards Rattatta.

He isn't sure why he needs to be explaining this for her, but he did so anyways. "It is because the master believes these "Pokemon" are the root of the reason why Maelstrom failed the first time. He thinks that maybe we can prevent that from happening again, by studying these creatures' power."

"But that is just a theory. How can he be sure if it will actually work?"

As patient as he is, her constant complaining is beginning to get on his nerves. "If you were going to complain the entire time, then why did you agree to accept this mission with me?" he asked.

Etna scoffed. "Because if I didn't, then I would be stuck back at the guild hall with Miyuki, and you know how much I can't stand that freeze-dried jerk." she retorted.

Dmitri ignored began to ignore her, already knowing full well of her hatred towards their fellow guildmate. He walked past her, opening the glass casing and releasing Rattatta from the tubes. He then picked up the spent Pokemon, heading towards the back of the laboratory.

"I'll put him back with the others. You go check on the twins. We spent good money to get them to help us. We don't need them to be slacking around when there is work to be done." he said. He heard his red-haired companion grunt from behind him, but he knew she would do as he asked, since he could hear her footsteps getting farther and farther away.

The brown-haired mage reached a door near the back of the room, and he opened it, to reveal rows of cages lining the wall. Some are empty, whereas others are being inhabited by Pokemon of varying shapes and sizes. He brought Rattatta over to a small cage near the far end of the room, locking him inside. However, he didn't do so without providing him with some food and water.

He looked down at the Pokemon empathetically. "It is nothing personal. I am simply following my master's orders." he said before turning and leaving the room. While he doesn't fully agree with the methods they are using, it won't stop him from sleeping at night. He has done worse things and will continue to do even worse things in the future, so this is nothing to him. Ultimately, he doesn't care, as long as he doesn't fail his master. If he were to do that, then everything he has done until now would be for nothing.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, I finally managed to get this chapter done! I hope that you enjoyed it, and I apologize again for yet another very late update. I've been very distracted lately, and it has been hard for me to sit down and write without needing to walk around for a bit. It isn't an excuse for getting this out so late, but I hope that it was worth the wait.**

 **I know that the battle had a lot of flaws, but I am still working on writing out fight scenes. It certainly isn't one of my strongpoints, but I'd like to think that I gave it my best shot.**

 **Also, it may be a while before this story is updated again, since I plan to get a chapter out for my OCxJenny story after all this time. So, if that interests you, then feel free to check out my other story! It isn't a very popular pairing, but I find it interesting nonetheless, and I am feeling excited to write a chapter for it after taking a break from it for over a month.**

 **Anyways, will all of that said and done, if you enjoyed this chapter, please review and let me know what you thought! I appreciate any and all support that you give me! I hope that you all have a wonderful day/night!**


	21. Chapter 21

After several days of travel, Lowell and the group finally arrived on the train at Brook Town. The town is located at the foot of a large mountain and is separated from the nearby forest by a stream that starts higher up in the mountain. The roads are paved with gravel, and the homes have a rustic appeal to them, being rather small and made of wood. The town itself isn't much, but just by walking through it, you can almost feel the presence of nature around you.

There isn't a cloud in the sky, making it the perfect weather to be outside. Many of the children can be seen playing in front of their homes, or near the stream. As they were walking through the streets, Lowell noticed a young girl near the stream, being splashed with water by an Azurill. Both are giggling, content with each other's company.

Meanwhile, on a nearby porch, a small family is gathered together. The parents are sitting on the edge of the porch, watching as their son ran around in a circle, chasing after a barking Poochyena.

The sight of these children getting along with and playing with Pokemon put a smile on Lowell's face. It is a nice contrast to how many looked at Pokemon before they knew what the Pokemon were. Before, they were afraid of them, but now it seems as though the general opinion of them has changed for the better.

"This is a wonderful sight. If only everyone in Fiore could get along with Pokemon like this." Lowell commented. As many people there are that are accepting Pokemon as a part of their lives, there are still those who think of them as nothing but a menace. Hopefully, after seeing people getting along with Pokemon like this, those individuals will eventually begin to change their opinions.

Kurt nodded in agreement. "Yeah. To think, that over a month ago, people were terrified of them. Things aren't perfect, but at least they have improved."

"I must admit that it is rather intriguing to watch how different people act around Pokemon." Carla stated as she walked beside Wendy.

Her blue-haired companion smiled and nodded, watching as the children and Pokemon played together. "It almost feels as if things have always been this way, watching them enjoy each other's company." she said. She hasn't had Goomy for very long, but she understands the joy that can come from having a Pokemon of your own.

"I think that we should be glad for that. It shows that they are willing to accept this change." Lowell responded. Realistically, it could be a lot worse than it really is. "There are some exceptions, but for the most part, people have been a lot more understanding than I was expecting."

Kurt slapped a hand on Lowell's back a little too hard, making the brown-haired trainer look back and give his friend a small glare. "Sorry about that." he apologized with a slight smirk, not feeling sorry whatsoever. "Anyways, that just makes your job easier. I wouldn't complain, if I were you."

Lowell grabbed Kurt's hand and removed it from his back. "I'm not complaining. Trust me, after all the hassle to get transportation and shipments between the regions and Ishgar, I'm very grateful for the cooperation everyone has shown, so far." he responded seriously. Though, the serious look on his face was soon replaced by a small grin. "However, I feel like the announcement of the tournament helped people get used to the idea. I'm pretty sure that the excitement replaced a lot of the fear and confusion that some people had."

"Aint that the truth." Kurt said, chuckling. "Back in Hoenn, everyone was downright bewildered when they found out magic existed. Although, when they realized that there was a new tournament for them to test their skills, they seemed to get used to the idea. Some were even excited, realizing that they could possibly learn to use magic, as well."

"Speaking of the tournament, have you had any word from the council of when they plan to have it?" Wendy asked curiously. There hasn't been much word on it since it was announced, and that has left many people eager to learn more about it.

Though, much to the others' disappointment, Lowell shook his head. "No, not really. I mean, they are speculating sometime in the summer, since it would be taking the place of the annual Grand Magic Games. Though, I haven't been informed of any specific dates, or about the rules of the tournament. Though, they should be coming to a conclusion soon."

"Well, that sucks." Kurt sighed, but he lightened up, seeing as though it couldn't be helped. "Oh well. These things take time. All we can do is train harder to make sure we are ready for whatever they throw at us." he said. He and Lowell exchanged a brief look at each other before fist bumping, both of them having the same thoughts on the subject.

While the others continued going on about the future tournament, Erza was occupied by looking around at the town some more. After taking a closer look, her lips curved into a small frown. Carla took notice of Erza's silence, making her aware that something wasn't quite right.

"Is everything alright, Erza? You've been rather silent this whole time."

At Carla's question, everyone turned their attention to Erza. None of them had noticed that the armored girl had yet to speak a single word since arriving at their destination.

"Take a closer look around and tell me what you see." the scarlet-haired swordswoman ordered.

The others did as the scarlet-haired girl asked, and they took a closer look around the town. They weren't sure what they were supposed to be looking for, but they assumed that they would realize quickly, if Erza was able to catch it. Soon enough, they took note of some of the people that were sticking closer to their homes. A lot of them seemed to be upset about something, though what that something is wasn't clear to them.

It took a moment, but Lowell finally figured out what was wrong. Most of the people who seemed upset had their gaze set on the people that were playing with their Pokemon. He then remembered what their job request entailed.

"They are the ones whose Pokemon were stolen by those thieves." he assumed, making the others gasp in realization.

Erza nodded in confirmation. "I didn't notice at first. Seeing the children play freely with their Pokemon made it difficult to see the reality of the situation. However, I quickly realized the truth, after I remembered why we are here to begin with." she explained.

Lowell felt disappointed in himself for almost forgetting the reason why they came to this town to begin with. He should've noticed sooner, without Erza having to remind him.

Wendy feels the same way, though she mainly feels bad for the people of the town. "I still don't understand why someone would do something like this. It just seems downright wrong."

"It is most certainly cruel." Carla agreed.

Kurt shrugged. "Sadly, it isn't anything new. This sort of thing has always happened. There are some criminal organizations who steal Pokemon to satisfy their own nefarious purposes, and then there are also poachers who would do anything to make money." he explained. He noticed Lowell's fists clenching in anger, no doubt remembering when he rescued Dragonite from a poacher. "It disgusts me, but as long as there are people that see Pokemon as a method of obtaining power or wealth, there will always be those who steal them from others."

"Well said. That is why we need to accomplish our task without delay. I will not allow for these criminals to continue such horrible behavior." Erza replied.

Sharpening his gaze, Lowell held up a single fist in front of him. "In that case, let's not waste anymore time. The sooner we speak with the mayor, the sooner we can get to work and help the people of this town." he said, determination burning in his eyes. No matter what it takes, he is going to get those Pokemon back, and he is going to show those criminals how they made the wrong choice in messing with the bond between human and Pokemon.

Without any further delays, the group continued down the gravel path, eager to get to work. However, they never noticed the pair of green eyes watching them from a nearby alleyway. Once the mages were out of sight, the silhouette hiding in the alleyway smirked before retreating further into the alleyway to meet with his brother.

Once he reached the end of the alleyway, he saw his brother sitting on top of a dumpster with his legs crossed. His brother is wearing a white camouflage hoodie underneath a brown cloak that stopped just below his elbows. He is also sporting a pair of black pants with white spots that are rolled up just stop just below his knees, with the rest of his legs covered up by a pair of black sandals and black leggings. However, much of his face is covered by bandages, only showing a single green eye. His hair is also covered, but a couple strands of black hair can be seen poking out from under the bandages, if looked closely enough at.

The man looked down at his brother, raising his only visible eyebrow. "So, Kaze, what did you find?" he asked.

Kaze is dressed very similarly to his brother, the only noticeable difference being that he does not sport a cloak like the elder twin, instead choosing to wear a white scarf with gray spots around his neck. He also doesn't wear bandages over his face, allowing the outside world to see his clean-shaven face. His hair is also black, spiking up on top his head.

Still with his smirk on his face, Kaze answered. "Well, Onpa, it seems as though Fairy Tail has accepted a request to aid this town. They've sent four members."

It was hard to read his brother's emotions, seeing as though only one eye is visible, but Kaze can tell that he went into deep thought for a moment. "Did they send anyone that we should be worried about?" he asked. Fairy Tail is regarded as the strongest guild in the kingdom. If they are getting involved in their plans, then things could get complicated if they sent some of their stronger members.

"They sent Titania and that dragon slayer girl from the Grand Magic Games." Kaze answered. "Both are strong, though I'd say that the redhead is the bigger threat out of the two."

Onpa nodded his head in agreement. Both could prove to be a massive threat, though the swordswoman has shown more skill when it comes to straight up combat than the younger girl. "You said something about there being four members. What about the other two?"

Kaze scratched the back of his head. "Well, that's where things get a bit tricky." he answered. Though, the unamused expression on his brother's face, well, his eye, prompted him to keep talking. "I don't recognize one of them, so I'm guessing that he's a new member, or something. Though, the second guy has become a lot more known, recently."

The older brother groaned, tired of the stalling. "Just hurry up and get out with it. The faster we are done here, the faster we can report in with those lunatics. I'd rather speak with them as little as possible, it if can be avoided."

Kaze nodded in understanding. Truthfully, he'd rather not deal with them at all, but he isn't a fool, thinking that he could take them on in a fight. "Fine." he sighed. "The fourth guy, if I'm not mistaken, is that guy who spoke during that press conference. Don't remember his name, though. I just recognized the outfit and the hair."

Onpa crossed his arms over his chest and hummed in thought. "This could be a problem. If it really is him, then he has more knowledge on these Pokemon than we've managed to gather."

"So, do you think that we should tell our employers about him?"

Onpa shrugged his shoulders. "Might as well. It may mean extra work for us, but I'd rather have extra work than lose out on the money we're supposed to be paid for this."

Seeing the logic in his brother's words, Kaze nodded in agreement. "He doesn't seem all that tough, but we better play it safe." he said. Onpa hopped down from the dumpster, and the two of them began to make their way out of the alleyway, through the back.

* * *

With Lowell and the others, after about fifteen minutes of walking, they finally came across the mayor's home. It is located near the plaza in the center of the town. Unlike the surrounding buildings, the mayor's home is several floors high, and it seems a bit older than the rest of the buildings. It is very well possible that it has been around since the town was founded.

Erza stepped forward and knocked on the door with her metallic gloves. Nearly minute went by, and they wondered if they had heard the knock, or if they just weren't home. Erza was about to knock once more. However, before she could, the door swung open, making her pause before she accidentally hit the person.

"So sorry about that." the person who opened the door said. He is an older man, seemingly in his late sixties or even early seventies. He is nearly half a foot shorter than Erza, with short, graying hair. He is skinny, though not unhealthily so, with slightly pale skin and blue eyes. He is wearing a plain white shirt underneath a black coat with blue trim, a pair of black pants. The elderly man looked up at the Fairy Tail group, giving them a kind smile as he adjusted the rectangular-framed glasses on his face. "I heard the knock, but this old body of mine just can't seem to keep up, anymore." he joked lightly with a small chuckle. "So, what I can help you five with?" he asked.

"We are from Fairy Tail, and we've come because of the request that you sent out." Erza answered. "I am Erza Scarlet, and these are my comrades: Lowell, Kurt, Wendy, and Carla."

The mayor smiled again, though this time it was more of a sad smile. "I see. Well then, how about you all come inside, and I'll explain the request in further detail." he responded, turning around to head back into the house.

The group followed him, all six of them sitting down in the living room. The mayor offered them some tea, which they gratefully accepted. They didn't want to come off as rude to the older man's generosity. Once the tea had been poured and they took a couple of sips, they got straight to business.

"Well, first things first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alphonse, and I've been the mayor of this town for over thirty years. I must say, I am very appreciative for you to come all this way to help us."

"Think nothing of it." Lowell responded. "We chose this job because we wanted to help you, not because we had to. Besides, what these thieves are doing isn't right. It is one thing to capture a wild Pokemon and to give them a new home. It is another thing entirely to steal a Pokemon from their trainer."

After hearing Lowell's explanation, the old man took a closer look at him, finding him to be somewhat familiar. Although, it didn't take too long for him to realize it. "You're that boy that is supposedly native to this world." he said, receiving a nod in return.

"Yeah. Lowell and I are both Pokemon trainers from Earth." Kurt responded.

Hearing this made some hope sparkle in the old man's eyes. "That is good news. Maybe with the two of you, we can finally stop those thieves. Your expertise on Pokemon might just be what this town needs."

"How so?" Wendy asked.

"Does it perhaps pertain as for why the job offered a rather high reward, for simply stopping a couple of thieves?" Carla questioned.

The old man nodded his head with a small frown. "Unfortunately, yes. The truth is, these thieves, who are twin brothers, have been giving us problems for a while now, stealing food, money, and whatever else they could get their hands on. We sent out a request with a much smaller reward at first, since it was all we could scrounge up, but no one ever came to help." he explained.

Hearing this made Erza frown in disappointment. "It shouldn't matter whether the reward is high or not. It is wrong to not give help to someone, simply because they could not afford to offer more in return."

"I understand having to pay bills and all, but that is just wrong." Kurt responded, his arms crossed.

"Still, what made you raise the reward?" Wendy asked. "I thought that you couldn't afford to pay any more than that."

"Well, that was the case for a while. However, since these Pokemon began to appear, the thieves suddenly stopped coming into town. We thought that they had just moved on to another town, though we were relieved, since it meant that they wouldn't bother us anymore." the mayor explained.

"Though, I'm guessing that didn't last for very long, considering that we are here." Lowell responded. The elderly mayor nodded his head in response.

"A couple of weeks ago, they came back. Only, this time instead of stealing food and money, they began to steal the Pokemon the townspeople took in as pets." he continued. Some of the townspeople and their Pokemon attempted to fight back, of course, but they were no match for the thieves. In the end, they ended up just getting their Pokemon taken, like the others. "The people in this town have grown very fond of the Pokemon, and they've been very upset with them being taken away. Since we managed to save up more money without the thieves stealing it, I sent out another request with a significantly higher reward than before."

Erza took all of the information in, nodding in understanding. Though, she found a couple of the answers she was looking for to be missing. "What I don't get is why you think Lowell and Kurt are the keys to taking down these thieves."

Kurt found himself agreeing with Erza. "Yeah. I'm not exactly much of a fighter. My Pokemon pretty much do most of the work."

Lowell shrugged. "I can fight, and my magic has certainly improved, though like Kurt, my Pokemon do most of the fighting. I don't see why we are so important for this job."

"It's because we have a limited knowledge of Pokemon in general, and with the two that have been aiding the thieves, having someone who knows how to deal with them is invaluable for stopping them."

This made Lowell's eyes widen slightly. "You're saying that the thieves have Pokemon of their own?" he asked, receiving a nod in return.

"Do they belong to any of the townspeople?" Kurt asked.

Alphonse shook his head. "No. If they did, then surely someone in town would've recognized them. The two Pokemon with those thieves are much stronger than any that belong to the townspeople."

"Could you possibly give us a description of them?" Erza asked. "That would help them identify which Pokemon they have quicker."

Alphonse put his hand on his chin in thought, quietly humming. "From my memory, the older brother, Onpa, had a large, purple bear with a big mouth and strange tubes sticking out of the back of its head. The younger brother, Kaze, has some sort of freaky bird, I think. I'm not really quite sure. It had a bunch of different colored feathers. I just know that it looked really weird."

Almost immediately, the two veteran trainers got to work thinking about the Pokemon that matched those descriptions. Kurt believes that he knows the one that the older brother has, because he is pretty sure that someone challenged him back in Hoenn with one of those. The younger brother's, on the other hand, Lowell has a good idea of what it might be. He battled a few of them on his way to Route 10, and he most certainly agrees with the old mayor's description of the Pokemon.

"So, do you know which ones the brothers have?" Wendy asked.

Kurt nodded, taking out his Pokedex. A picture of the purple, bear-like Pokemon appeared on the screen. He held it near the middle of the coffee table, so that they could all get a good look at it.

 ** _"_** ** _Exploud: The Loud Noise Pokemon. Exploud triggers earthquakes with the tremors it creates by bellowing. If this Pokémon violently inhales from the ports on its body, it's a sign that it is preparing to let loose a huge bellow."_** the Pokedex informed.

"W-wow. It must be really powerful if it can cause so much damage by yelling." Wendy said. It is a little terrifying to think how something not much taller than herself could create earthquakes with just its voice.

"They are powerful. I've faced one before, and you definitely need to be careful when battling one. They aren't too fast, and their defenses are decent, but the amount of HP that they have is pretty good, as well as their physical and special attack stats."

"It definitely sounds like a handful." Carla commented. She then turned to face Lowell. "What about the other one? Do you know what it is?" she asked.

Lowell let out an irritated grunt, showing them a picture of the Pokemon he believed it to be. After taking a single look at it, the others most certainly agreed that it looked odd.

 **"** **Sigilyph: The Avianoid Pokemon.** **The guardians of an ancient city, they use their psychic power to attack enemies that invade their territory."**

"They sound very territorial." Erza commented.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement, though he still seems to be a bit irritated. "Why do you look like you are annoyed?" Kurt asked.

"I don't particularly enjoy battling with Sigilyph." Lowell admitted, frowning at the picture. He doesn't hate Sigilyph. There isn't a single Pokemon that he hates, though he does find that battling with the Flying/Psychic-type can be quite infuriating.

"Why? Are they strong?" Wendy asked.

Lowell shrugged. "They can be. It all depends. Their special attack is pretty high, as well as their speed. Powerful Psychic-type moves, plus high special attack and speed, as well as moves that add to the Pokémon's defenses, special attack, and speed definitely make them a force to be reckoned with."

Kurt chuckled, amused by his friend's reaction. "I never would've thought you would be beaten by a wild Sigilyph." he joked.

"I never said that I lost!" Lowell argued. "I was just saying that they can be a bit tricky. Besides, that was when my team and I were less experienced than we are now. Though, that doesn't mean that we can just ignore the possible threat it will provide."

"Alright, alright." Kurt said, holding his hands out in front of him in defense. "I get what you mean. Plus, some of its moves like Light Screen and Reflect affect not only itself, but its allies as well. As long as it is out on the field, it will be able to raise their overall defenses, which can make things a bit more difficult for us."

"Even so, that just means that we will have to work hard to make sure they don't get the better of us." Erza responded.

The elderly mayor smiled at them. He wasn't sure what to expect when he found out that his request was accepted, but he believes that he made the right choice. Even with their tendencies to cause trouble related to property damage, he feels like Fairy Tail was the best possible guild that could've accepted the job. "So, do you think that you can do it? Can you beat those thieves and get the Pokemon back?"

Lowell returned the mayor's smile, confidence showing in his eyes. "Don't worry. We'll make sure that the people of this town get their Pokemon back, as well as make sure that those thieves don't cause anymore trouble." he ensured. He doesn't like to make promises, seeing as though things can always end up happening that might break those promises, but he is confident that they can complete this job without fail. Even if it is difficult, he would feel like a disgrace as not only a trainer, but a member of Fairy Tail.

Kurt patted his chest with a closed fist, a small smirk on his face. "What he said. As long as we're on the case, we'll make sure that the town doesn't have to worry about them anymore." he agreed. He is a bit worried, considering he can't use magic, and he's never gone up against someone with magic before. Though, he knows that Lowell and the others will have his back.

"I'm sure it'll be tough, but I know that we'll get the job done, as long as we all work together. Right, Carla?" Wendy said, looking down towards her Exceed partner.

Carla simply nodded her head in agreeance. "Just don't act too rash. It wouldn't be good if you took Natsu's habit of going overboard in a fight."

Seeing as though they came to a decision, Erza figured that it was time for them to start taking some action. "So, what should our first plan of action be?" she asked, looking at Lowell and Kurt. They have the most knowledge when it comes to dealing with Pokemon out of the six of them, so it only makes sense for them to coming up with a plan.

"Well, the first thing that we need to do is to get everyone to keep their Pokemon inside their Pokeballs." Lowell said. "If the Pokemon has already been caught, then they can't be caught by someone else's Pokeball, and it will be easier to keep them away from the thieves if they are hidden in their own Pokeballs."

The mayor nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. I can gather everyone up in the plaza and tell them the news. Even if they don't want to confine the Pokemon to their Pokeballs, then they can at least keep them inside their homes. It would be safer then letting them roam outdoors."

"Good." Lowell nodded. "After that, we will just have to wait until the thieves show up again. We aren't sure where they are hiding at the moment, but surely it won't be long before they come back to try and steal another Pokemon. When they do, then we will be ready."

"It makes sense, but it won't we mess up the town if we fight here?" Wendy asked.

Kurt waved off her concerns. "Don't worry. I think I've already come up with a plan to take care of that." he said with a smirk.

"In that case, you may want to run it by me first, just to make sure that it will actually work." Lowell responded with his own smirk, making Kurt glare at him.

"I'll have you know that I am fairly good at coming up with plans, thank you very much." he responded jokingly.

"You mean like catching girls in Pokeballs?"

"I was drunk when that happened!" Kurt roared. "Will you ever let me stop living that down?"

"Probably not."

"Will you just shut up and let me explain my plan already?!"

Alphonse watched the two boys argue while the girls watched with amused grins on their faces. Normally, this would make him worry, but the fact that they can joke around like this even when there is a job to be done, that just shows that they are confident they can get it done.

 _"_ _It almost makes me wish for my youth back."_ he thought with a smile on his face, watching the two bicker back and forth.

* * *

Back in the laboratory, Dmitri just finished extracting the energy from another Pokemon, and now he is checking the data they have collected so far. He doesn't quite understand what his master was thinking, however. They have extracted the energy from quite a few Pokemon at this point, and while they've collected a lot, it is nowhere near as much as the master suggested it would. Sure, the Pokemon they have been using are quite weak, but he was expecting more than this.

"This is a waste of time." Etna groaned from behind him, voicing his own thoughts. "We'd be better off just collecting Ethernano and using that to repair the lacrima. This is starting to get boring."

Dmitri sighed. "If you're so bored, then why don't you do something, other than just complain?" he suggested.

The redhead shrugged her shoulders before sitting in a chair and crossing her legs. "What is there to do?" she questioned. "The twins are out gathering more Pokemon, and you are doing a good enough job managing the equipment."

However, just as she said that, the door to the laboratory opened, revealing the two brothers. They continued into the room until they were right in front of the two dark wizards.

Etna took a quick looked at them and let out a tired breath before standing up and walking towards them. "Well, you two are back quickly. Though, you appear to be empty handed." she said, igniting a small fire in the palm of her hand, a sinister grin forming on her lips. With how slow things are going right now, she wouldn't mind relieving some of her boredom on them. "Remind we why we are paying you, if you are just going to come back with nothing to show for it?"

Onpa looked at his brother, seeing the hidden terror on his face. He doesn't blame him, though. After sensing their overwhelming magic power before, there is no way he wants to be on the receiving end of it. He stepped forward, deciding that he would do the talking. "About that, there has been a slight interference." he said.

Dmitri gave Etna a pointed glare, and she got his meaning. With a sigh, she reluctantly let the fire in her palm disappear before placing her hand on her hip. "This better be good."

"It seems as though the mayor has employed the help of one of the light guilds to deal with us and retrieve the stolen Pokemon."

"I don't see how this is a problem. I doubt that the regular guild lackeys would be enough to put a rut in our plans." Etna responded, getting really annoyed with their subordinates' pathetic performance.

"Well, this isn't just any guild. We're talking about the strongest guild in Fiore. Fairy Tail."

The irritated woman scoffed. Though, Dmitri found himself interested in the new occurrence. "Who did they send?"

"They sent Titania, the Sky Dragon Slayer, the little girl's cat, some guy that we think just joined the guild, and Lowell Falkov." Kaze answered.

Out of all the names he listed, Lowell's was the one that piqued their interests the most. Sure, Titania is strong, but they are aware of many of her different weapons and armor. Wendy is strong, but her skills in combat fall short behind some of her guildmates. As for the last two, they are mysteries to them. They don't know Kurt's name, let alone anything about him, and they haven't seen what Lowell's Pokemon can do.

"This could cause some problems." Dmitri said, scratching his chin in thought. He doesn't care if they get the Pokemon back. They've pretty much gotten as much as they can from them. Though, it would be bad if they were to discover what they were using the energy for. After a moment of thought, he directed his attention back to their subordinates. "Do you believe that you can defeat them and prevent them from reaching this laboratory?" he asked. His voice is calm, though it has a slight edge in it that sends a chill down the brothers' spines.

"Please, no matter how strong those Fairy pests are, there is no way that they will be able to take us on!" Kaze said confidently. "Besides, we've got those strong Pokemon up our sleeves. There is no way that we are going to lose." he boasted.

Though he doesn't share the same level of confidence or arrogance as his younger brother, he still agrees with him. "There's no need to worry. We'll make sure that this lab of yours remains hidden, as long as you keep good on your promise."

"Don't worry. If you keep your end of the deal, then you'll get your money. We'll make sure of that." Dmitri assured. They could've just forced them to do this without payment, and Etna would've done that, but he at least has some morals. He believes that if you get your job done, then you deserve to be compensated. Though, that means nothing if you were to fail. "I suggest that you get ready and prepare to settle this problem tomorrow morning."

The brothers nodded their heads in understanding. "Very well. If you'll excuse us, we've got some planning to do." Onpa said, before the two of them began to walk off.

Once they were out of the room, Onpa whispered into his brother's ear. "After this, we are taking the money and then they are on their own. Our job never entailed fighting off other guilds. This is beginning to become a hassle. We'll do this last job for them, and when the coast is clear, we're getting the hell out of here." he said, receiving a nod of agreement I return.

"Understood." Kaze said with a growing smirk. "I doubt they'll come after us, anyways. It's not like we know what their plans are. We just know that they need the Pokemon for something. Surely, they wouldn't waste their time in tracking us down."

With their plan set in motion, the two of them returned to their camp in the woods to plan their last trip into Brook Town.

* * *

Back in Brook Town, everyone has gathered in the plaza for an announcement from the mayor. No one knew exactly what the announcement was about, but several had a feeling that it had something to do with the thieves that have been causing ruckus for so long. However, once they arrived in the plaza, they noticed Lowell and the others standing in front of the plaza fountain beside the mayor.

Almost immediately, some of the townsfolk recognized Erza and Wendy, remembering watching them in the Grand Magic Games. Many were shocked, not expecting to see two celebrities in the middle of town.

"Woah. Is that who I think it is?" a man in the crowd asked.

"Yeah. Those are members of Fairy Tail." another person in the crowd responded.

"Why are they here? Could it be to get our Pokemon back?"

Though, others took note of the two unfamiliar faces with the other members of Fairy Tail. "Wait. Who are those two guys with them? They must be new, because I've never seen them before."

"The red-haired one doesn't look familiar." someone else said.

"Hey, wait. Isn't the one with brown hair the one from that press conference in Crocus?"

Lowell heard the crowd muttering chatting amongst themselves, and he felt several pairs of eyes stare at him, making him avert his attention to the ground. _"Why does everyone have to recognize me?"_ he thought tiredly.

Once everyone was gathered together, the mayor stepped forward to address the entire crowd. "Thank you for coming here on such short notice, but as you can see, we have a couple of special guests." he said, gesturing towards the Fairy Tail group. "I'm sure you already recognize them, seeing as though they are from the strongest guild in Fiore. Though, among them are two newer members, Lowell Falkov and Kurt Eldridge. Both of them are experienced Pokemon trainers, and all five of them have come here to help us deal with those thieves."

Many in the crowd began to cheer, happy that someone finally accepted their plea for help. Some were beginning to feel like no one would ever come to help them. Though, they definitely weren't expecting the top guild to accept their request.

Alphonse cleared his throat loudly, getting the crowd to quiet down once more. "With that said, there are a couple of things that need to be done, in order to ensure the safety of you and your Pokemon." he said, getting their upmost attention.

He backed down, allowing Lowell to take the reins for a moment. "We aren't sure when the thieves will show their faces again. Though, when they do, it will become very dangerous. So, until the thieves are dealt with, we suggest that you stay as close to your homes as possible, in order to avoid getting caught outside if a battle were to suddenly commence." he explained. "We will try to keep the fighting in the town to a minimum, but we can't be sure how much resistance we will be up against."

There were murmurs among the crowd, but everyone understood that it was for the best. If there was going to be a big fight, then they would rather stay indoors, to prevent their children or loved ones from getting hurt.

"Also, we plan on retrieving all of the Pokemon that have been stolen. However, to ensure that even more Pokemon aren't taken, I suggest that you keep all Pokemon either inside their Pokeballs, or inside your homes. Either should be fine, as long as they aren't running around where the thieves can see them."

Lowell took a pause to see if anyone had any complaints about that, and none ended up coming. They understand why it would be better to keep them hidden, rather than in plain sight. That is how they stole the other Pokemon, to begin with.

There wasn't much else to say, though Lowell decided to add something else, to hopefully help them rest easier. "I understand that everything that has happened is a bit crazy, and that there are many things that are far from perfect. Though, it makes me happy to see that you all care so much about Pokemon, despite what they might have done out of fear or confusion in the past." he said, scanning the crowd for their reactions. "As a Pokemon trainer, and as a proud member of Fairy Tail, I promise that we will get your Pokemon back."

Once again, the crowd erupted into a volley of cheers, loud enough that it reverberated all throughout the plaza.

Kurt smiled at his friend, pleased with how he has begun to change since coming to Fiore. _"He is definitely better at speaking in front of crowds, even if he doesn't particularly like it, and I can also tell that he has gained some confidence, as well."_ he thought. "I guess I've still got some catching up to do."

The crowd stuck around for a while, many of the townspeople wanting to speak with either Lowell or one of the other mages. As much as he doesn't like the attention, he was more than glad to speak with everyone who came up to him. They were all so grateful, simply for them showing up to help. Seeing the happiness or relief on their faces makes him glad he joined Fairy Tail, because otherwise, he doesn't think that he would be helping people like this.

While they were talking with the people from the town, several hours passed, and it is just starting to get dark out. The group decided that it was time to call it a night, so that they would be well rested the next morning.

Once checked into the hotel, they went to their separate rooms. Wendy, Carla, and Erza are sharing one room, whereas Lowell and Kurt are sharing another. It didn't bother them in the slightest, because they are used to doing this from when they would travel together.

After showering and getting dressed, Lowell and Kurt now lay on their beds, trying to fall asleep. Lowell is laying on his side, and Kurt is laying on his back, looking directly up at the ceiling. However, the redhead just can't seem to fall asleep. He isn't usually one to get nervous, and he is confident that they will be able to get the job done. Though, he isn't sure exactly what to expect. He isn't really a fighter, and he doesn't have magic to stand up against the thieves. Sure, his Pokemon will be there to back him up, but the others will all be fighting with everything they've got, while he'll only end up getting in the way.

He tried to put these thoughts aside, but it was difficult. After several more minutes of just staring at the ceiling, he spoke up, hoping that he wasn't waking up his friend.

"Hey. Lowell, are you awake?"

He was answered with silence, and he assumed that Lowell had already fallen asleep. Although, soon enough, Lowell rolled over on his other side with a tired grunt, facing Kurt.

"Yeah. I'm up." he responded. Though, he seems like he is half-asleep. "What do you need, that can't wait until the morning?"

Kurt was a little hesitant to admit what was bothering him, since he didn't want to sound pathetic to his friend and rival. Though, he kept him from falling asleep, so he might as well just tell him. "How strong do you think those thieves are going to be?" he asked.

Lowell had to think for a moment, his brain not entirely functional from his sleepiness. "Well, I'm not sure. I've never heard of these guys before, though they've obviously been giving this town some trouble for a while, and they also managed to get their hands on some fairly powerful Pokemon. I doubt that they will be easy to defeat." he responded. He then raised a brow at Kurt. "Why?"

"I'm just…not sure if I'll be able to handle it. Sure, I've won Pokemon battles before, but those fights against other people are two different things."

"Wow. I wouldn't have thought that you of all people would be nervous." Lowell joked with a smirk on his face. He understands why he is nervous, but he doesn't get a chance to mess with him like this all the time, so he'll take what he can get.

"Just shut up!" Kurt whisper yelled, not wanting to wake up anyone else in the hotel. Though, this response only made Lowell begin to chuckle silently.

"Fine. I'm sorry. I just think that you are worrying too much. Yeah, it'll be tough, especially without magic to defend yourself, but it isn't like you are going to be alone. You'll have your Pokemon, as well as the rest of us to back you up."

"Sure, but I'll still be pretty useless during the fight." Kurt replied.

Lowell shrugged, turning back on his other side. "Just because you aren't strong, that doesn't mean that you won't be useful. Being able to strategize in the middle of a tough situation is always important, and as much as I tease you, you are one of the best strategists I know."

"So, you finally admit that I am the better strategist, huh?" Kurt asked with a joking grin.

"Hell no. I'm just trying to get you to calm down, so that you can go to sleep, so that in turn I can also go to sleep, since I know that I won't be able to sleep as long as you are worrying about this."

Kurt chuckled, rolling onto his stomach. "Alright, alright. I get it. I'll shut up now." he said amusedly. "Thanks, by the way."

"You can thank me by letting me sleep."

"I guess you still get a bit grumpy when you can't take naps during the day."

"What did I just say?"

"…Alright. Shutting up now."

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait, yet again! However, I can only blame myself for taking so long. I've been busy dealing with college stuff, especially with finals just around the corner, but for the past couple of days, I've been really lazy. I meant to get this out on Sunday, but sadly my procrastination got the better of me. Honestly, I don't know why I've been so lazy. It has just been harder for me to do things lately, without losing focus easily and falling asleep. It is no excuse for this chapter being so late, but I do hope that you can forgive me for that.**

 **Anyways, I hate to say it, but there wasn't any action in this chapter, which I feel bad about since it has been a while since I updated it. Though, don't worry. The next chapter I post will have a lot more action. This chapter was simply to set up the next couple of chapters.**

 **Once again, I apologize for my laziness. I just hope that you all aren't too mad at me. Anyways, with all of that said and done, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I appreciate all the support and all of you for putting up with my laziness and continuing to read this story. I hope that you all have a wonderful day/night!**


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning, the streets of Brook Town were relatively empty. The only people that were out and about were those who either had to go shopping or to work, and those who weren't stuck fairly close to their homes. As they patrolled the town, Lowell and Erza took note of this, glad that they were following their advice.

The two of them have been walking around the town for about an hour now, with no signs of either of the brothers or their Pokemon. Kurt, Wendy, and Carla are doing the same in the northern portion of the town, though they haven't had much luck finding anything, either.

Kurt's suggestion was that the five of them split up, to cover more ground. They have no idea when the brothers will show their faces again, so it would be better for them to split up, so that they will have a better chance at running into them. Although, since Kurt doesn't have anything besides his Pokemon to defend himself, it was agreed that Wendy would accompany him. She is still a powerful mage, despite her young age and timid nature. Plus, she has the capability to heal Kurt if necessary. Of course, Carla then tagged along, because she wasn't going to let Wendy go alone with Kurt.

Everyone agreed with this course of action. However, when Lowell suggested the pairings, he didn't take into account just how awkward this was going to end up being. So far, he and Erza have remained in somewhat of an awkward silence, aside from the occasional discussion about the job.

Though, Lowell isn't too surprised. Ever since coming to Fiore, he hasn't spent a lot of time with Erza. They've shared an occasional conversation, but they haven't hung out as much as the other members of Team Natsu and some of the other guild members. Erza doesn't seem to be upset about it, but Lowell does feel bad for not talking to her very often like a friend probably should.

He was trying to brainstorm ways to break the uncomfortable silence between them. However, Erza beat him to it. "Are you sure that it was wise for Kurt and Wendy to pair up? We aren't sure what to expect from these criminals, and even though Wendy is strong, I'm not sure that she will be able to protect them both if they run into both of the brothers." Erza voiced her concerns.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Lowell replied, thankful for the conversation. "Kurt was a little nervous about it last night, but I am sure that they will be alright. Besides, Carla is there to watch their back, and they've also got their Pokemon with them. As long as they are cautious, then we've got nothing to worry about." he reassured with a comforting smile.

Erza smiled in return, nodding her head in understanding. "You're right. We should have faith in them. I guess I was just being silly to think that we should worry."

Lowell shook his head. "I wouldn't call worrying for your friends silly. That just shows how deeply you care for your comrades. I must say, that is something that I admire about you and the other members of the guild. I've only known you all for a short period of time, but your loyalty to each other is one of the strongest bonds that I've ever seen."

Erza nodded her head. "Indeed. We would do anything to protect a member of our family, and that includes you and Kurt now, as well."

"A very destructive family, but a family nonetheless." Lowell responded, making both of them laugh.

They continued to walk, until Lowell caught sight of a nearby restaurant. Suddenly, his stomach began to rumble, reminding him that they didn't have breakfast when they first woke up. "Say, how about we get a quick bite to eat? Things have been pretty quiet so far, and I would rather not fight on an empty stomach."

Erza thought about the idea for a moment. She would prefer to keep patrolling around the city in case the criminals do show up, but even she is starting to get a little hungry. "Alright. I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a small break."

Lowell grinned, starting off in the direction of the restaurant he saw. "Great. I'll pay. Thankfully, since Natsu isn't here, it won't end up costing me a fortune." he said, grateful that he doesn't have to pay to feed such a big appetite.

"I'll say. You'd be out of Jewel before you'd have the chance to blink." Erza agreed. Even after growing up with him, she still can't believe how much the pink-haired dragon slayer can eat. Though, it has become normal to see him gorging himself, so it wouldn't seem like Natsu if he stopped.

The two of them entered the restaurant, not noticing the green eyes watching them from a nearby rooftop. Kaze smirked as he saw the mages go inside the restaurant.

"This is going to be one heck of a day." he said to himself as he slowly disappeared back into the shadows, awaiting the signal.

* * *

On the opposite end of the town, Kurt, Wendy, and Carla continued their search. However, after an hour passing, Kurt began to get a little impatient.

"You'd think that they wouldn't take so long to show up, if they do this all the time." he complained.

"Don't worry. I'm sure that they'll show themselves eventually." Wendy said in an attempt to calm him down.

Carla crossed her arms over her chest as she followed closely behind Wendy. "I know that we need to find them in order to complete the job and to rescue the captured Pokemon, but I don't think that it is wise to wish for trouble." she said, scolding Kurt for his complaining. "You almost sound like Natsu, not wanting to wait for the enemies to come to him."

Kurt shrugged his shoulders in response. "I wouldn't say that I am asking for trouble, but I wouldn't mind it if they would just hurry up and show up. The faster we deal with them, the faster we can help the Pokemon that they took." Despite his laid-back attitude, his voice was serious and his eyes held unwavering conviction. He can't stand what the criminals have been doing to the townspeople, but he also does not tolerate Pokemon thieves or poachers.

"I'd worry more about yourself before you let yourself worry about the Pokemon. We will get them back, without fail. It would be a disgrace to the guild if we couldn't save them. However, you don't have your own magic. Without it, you will be putting yourself in a lot of danger. Don't act recklessly like that foolish Natsu would." Carla said.

"Relax." he said with the wave of a hand. "I might be a little impatient, but I wouldn't consider myself reckless. I at least think of the consequences before I act…most of the time."

"I don't think that makes me feel any better." Carla said with a sweat-drop.

Kurt laughed. "Don't worry. I understand that I am more vulnerable than Wendy or the others. Still, I won't let that stop me from doing my part. Even if I can't fight, my knowledge about Pokemon will help us out when it comes to the brothers' Pokemon."

Carla sighed. "Just don't do anything foolish."

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Carla. You shouldn't worry so much." Wendy reassured her friend.

Soon enough, Carla just gave up, not wanting to argue with them. "Alright. I've already gotten my point across. Anyways, we should probably get back to our search. We can't afford to waste any more time."

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Kurt said grinning. He understands her concerns but dwelling on it won't change anything. All they can do is keep going and hope for the best. "Let's get going!"

The group of three continued their search, remaining on high alert for any signs of trouble. However, they also failed to notice the silhouette crouching in the shadows of a nearby alleyway. A small, dark laugh escaped Onpa's lips.

"It looks like the hunt is about to begin." he said, shadows covering his one visible eye.

* * *

In the restaurant with Lowell and Erza, the two of them sat down at a table, where they were given menus to look through. After a brief moment of thought, Lowell settled for a classic breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, and a slice of toast. He also got a small fruit platter on the side, which he was pleased upon noticing that it had pineapple, among other fruits.

Unlike him; however, Erza ordered something that Lowell wouldn't think counted as a breakfast item: cheesecake. The waitress gave the scarlet-haired girl a strange look when she ordered, but she wasn't getting paid to question a customer's order, so she came back minutes later with Lowell's food and a plate holding a single slice of strawberry cheesecake.

 _"_ _I knew that she liked strawberry cheesecake, but I didn't realize that she liked it this much."_ he thought after seeing Erza's face upon taking a bite out of her cake. She looked almost as if she had found heaven in that slice of cake.

"The others weren't kidding when they said that you loved cake." he said, and he almost regretted that decision.

If looks could kill, then Lowell would be dead right now. Erza gave Lowell a glare that rivalled if not trumped the one that Gardevoir would give to Charizard and Dragonite when they were fighting. "Is there a problem?" she asked in a threatening voice.

"No mam!" he answered almost as quickly as Natsu and Gray would. Erza's face changed from terrifying to satisfied before taking another bite of her cake. Lowell inwardly released a relived breath before returning to his plate of breakfast. _"Note to self: don't mess with Erza's cake."_

After his terrifying encounter with Erza's scary side, Lowell remained silent for several minutes as he ate his breakfast, not wanting to anger her again. However, soon enough, Erza finished her cake before pushing her plate away from her with a pleased expression on her face. Thankfully, he believes that she has forgotten about the incident several minutes prior. Although, he wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.

"So, Lowell, how has your relationship with Levy been?" Erza asked.

Lowell was stunned by the sudden question. Had he been drinking something when she asked, he would've done a spit take. However, he was eating a bite of eggs, which ended up gagging him and making him cough.

For nearly a minute, he was given odd looks from the other customers in the restaurant as he tried to stop himself from choking. Once he had finally stopped coughing, he took a sip of water to soothe his irritated throat. He placed the glass of water back on the table before looking up at Erza, extremely flustered.

"W-what are you talking about?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow, confused at his question. "What do you mean? I was just curious as to how you and Levy have been doing. You are a couple, after all."

Lowell looked at her in disbelief, shaking his head. "What?! No, we aren't. We cleared that up the other day, when Kurt assumed that we were dating."

"Really? I thought that you just wanted to keep your relationship a secret, and so you were lying to try to keep it hidden."

Lowell sighed, desperately trying to get rid of the blush on his face. "No, we weren't. We aren't a couple." he explained.

"Oh, I see. In that case, you have feelings for one another, then?" the scarlet-haired swordswoman assumed.

The brown-haired trainer opened his mouth in an attempt to deny it, though no words actually came out. He realized that even if he denied it, his blushing and stuttering would give away the truth anyways. "Fine. I…like her…a lot. Though, why did you bring this up now, of all times?" They may be taking a break, but they are still in the middle of a job. He doesn't think that now is a very good time to be talking about this sort of thing.

"I've been meaning to ask you for a while now. I noticed when we first met that you and her were acting rather odd around each other, and how you and Levy have been spending a lot more time with each other since then. Although, I guess I just assumed that you were already a couple, given how close you were. Most of the other guildmembers believe that, as well."

Lowell huffed. "Let me guess, because of Happy, Lucy, or Mirajane?" he asked, receiving a shake of the head in return.

"No, it was just rather obvious." she said, smirking at the blush adorning his face. "It isn't a bad thing, you know. I'm sure that if you told her how you felt, that she wouldn't mind starting a relationship."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way?" he asked. That is one of his biggest worries. Well, that, and what would happen if they managed to find a way to return everything to the way it was before Fiore became a part of Earth. However, he was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Erza laughing, making him confused. "What is so funny?" he asked.

She smiled at his naivety. "The fact that you are possibly the only one that doesn't know how much Levy admires you. I'm sure that only you and Levy are the only ones who aren't aware of how the other feels."

"Can you really blame me? I mean, it's not like I've experienced these sorts of feelings before. Before I set out on my journey, I spent a majority of my time cooped up in my room. It didn't really give me much of a chance to make friends, let alone deal with something like this."

The first part of his explanation intrigued Erza. "Really? I knew that you weren't the most comfortable in social situations, but I didn't realize that you spent that much time by yourself. If I may ask, why did you coop yourself in your room?"

Lowell hesitated a bit. He promised Levy that he would tell her whenever he felt ready, but at this rate, who knows when that time may come. Maybe by telling Erza, it would help him build up the courage to talk to Levy.

Seeing his hesitation, she felt the need to speak up. "If you aren't comfortable with talking about it, then I understand. You don't have to, if you aren't ready."

Lowell shook his head, giving a sad grin. "No. It's alright. I've been meaning to tell Levy for a while since it came up in conversation, but I guess that I've been too nervous to do so. I'm hoping that by telling you, it might help me build up the confidence to tell Levy."

He explained how it was his father who inspired him to become a trainer to begin with, and how he one day wished to prove how strong of a trainer was to his father. Then he told her of how he died, and how it made him lose motivation, which resulted in Bella sticking around to fix the problem.

As Lowell talked, Erza listened without saying a word. She could tell how difficult it was for him to talk about this with someone who he still doesn't know too much about, and she wasn't going to make it harder for him. Despite not having as cruel of an upbringing as Erza did, she can see how losing a parent who he looked up to would affect him. She never knew her parents, but surely she would've felt sad if she heard that one of them died.

"I wasn't the same after that. Even now, while I have gotten more comfortable around you and the others, I still prefer to stick to myself, most of the time."

Erza nodded her head in understanding. "It makes sense. Although, I don't think that Levy would change her opinion on you, if she found out about this. You seem to be confident when it comes to Pokemon battles, but you need to learn how to translate that confidence outside of Pokemon battles."

Lowell chuckled. "Well, that is easier said than done, but you aren't wrong." he admitted. "Though, I feel like if I stick around Fairy Tail long enough, that should hopefully change."

"You definitely learn to adapt to strange situations, that is for sure." Erza responded. "So, what do you plan on doing, now?" she asked.

The brown-haired trainer had to take a moment to think. He has been putting it off for a while, because of his nerves. However, after his conversation with Erza, he feels a little more confident. "Once we finish our job and get back to the guild hall, I'll finally tell her how I feel. I've been avoiding it for too long. Nothing will change, if I don't act on these feelings."

"I agree." Erza replied. However, her eyes were than shadowed by her hair, giving her a more menacing appearance. "However, if you hurt her, then you will receive the proper punishment."

While he still finds this side of Erza to be terrifying, this time he just smiled and nodded. "I have no plans of doing that. Although, if I do end up hurting her, I will accept whatever punishment you see fit."

"Good." Erza nodded, satisfied with his answer. "I appreciate that you trusted me with all of this." she said, her normal appearance returning.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "It isn't that big of a deal. Honestly, compared to what a lot of the other members have dealt with in their past, my problems don't seem like that much."

"That's not true. While you may not have gone through some of the difficulties that some of us have, that doesn't change the fact that you lost a parent. I might not have had the chance to get to know my parents, but I still know that it isn't easy to lose someone that close to you." Erza responded. While she didn't know her parents, Grampa Rob was like family to her, and it hurt to see him die.

There was nothing that Lowell could argue about there. Everything she had said was completely true.

"Thanks, Erza. After this conversation, I think that I finally might have built up the courage I needed to tell all of this to Levy. I know that we haven't spoken much, but you are a good friend. I'm grateful for your help." he said with a smile.

The scarlet-haired swordswoman returned the smile. "It was no problem. Now, we should probably get back to sear- "She was cut off by the sound of a large explosion happening outside.

Without having to exchange words, the two of them ran outside where they saw several people running into their homes. In the distance, they can see a large cloud of dust rising from the streets. It also appears that the dust is coming from the northern part of the town, so the two mages already knew the source of the explosion.

"It looks like they found them. Let's hurry up and join them." Lowell suggested.

Just as the two of them were about to head towards their friends to help, they sensed an increase in magic power behind them.

"Move!" Erza called out to Lowell.

" **Air Slicer!** "

The two of them jumped out of the way in time to avoid being cut by the razor-sharp blades of air that went whizzing past them. Some of them kept going for a while before dissipating into the air, whereas others collided against the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust around them.

Lowell covered his eyes with his arms to prevent dust from getting in them. However, thanks to the dust, it is making it hard for him to determine exactly where their attacker is. The attack came from behind them, so it either had to come from one of the alleyways, or from one of the rooftops. Though, even with that knowledge, he still can't tell while his vision is obscured. "It looks like they had the same idea as us to split up!" he called out to Erza.

Suddenly, to his right, he saw a bright flash of light through the thick cloud of dust. He could only assume that it was Erza using her Re-quip, and his assumption was proved correct whenever he heard her call out to him.

"Be on guard. We have no idea what our foe is capable of!" she warned.

Lowell nodded in agreement, though she couldn't see him. "Right!" First things first, they need to get rid of this dust if they want to see properly. Thankfully, he was quick to come up with a solution. He held his hand in front of him, and he started writing out a word using his magic.

" **Solid Script Magic: Wind!** " If their opponent is going to use wind, then two can play at that game. With a swipe of his arm, Lowell sent a large gust of wind forward that was strong enough to clear away all the dust.

Once they regained their vision, Lowell and Erza quickly located the other. Now; however, instead of her normal armor, she is wearing her Black Wing Armor. The most prominent feature of this set of armor is the pair of bat-like wings on the back. The armor itself is black with silver trimming, revealing a fair amount of her stomach and large chest. In her hands, she is holding a single sword with a purple and black blade.

Lowell looked at the armor and was impressed, this being the first time he has ever seen her use this armor. However, he quickly re-focused his attention to the task at hand.

"I'll admit, that was pretty impressive for a newbie." Kaze called out.

Erza and Lowell turned their attention to a nearby building, where they saw Kaze standing on top of the roof with a smug look on his face. There isn't any sign of a Pokemon, but that doesn't mean that they should let their guard down.

"Although, it won't matter in the end." Kaze stated confidently. "You might be able to use magic, but against me, you'll have to do better than that if you want to win."

Despite the threat Kaze was throwing his way, Lowell stood firm without looking back. This will be his first fight against someone else using magic, but that doesn't mean that he can just back down. He hasn't backed down from a battle before. What reason is there to start now?

"I am assuming that you are one of the brothers who have been stealing the townspeople's Pokemon." Erza stated, her blade at the ready in case Kaze tried something.

The black-haired man laughed. "Guilty as charged. The name's Kaze. I'll admit, it is quite the honor to face someone as well-known and respected as the great Titania. I'm almost shaking in my boots." he said tauntingly.

"I'm flattered." Erza said, though her unamused tone says otherwise. "However, it won't help you here. You've been tormenting these people for far too long, and we've been hired to put an end to it. Please, you would be doing us all a favor if you just surrendered and released the Pokemon that you kidnapped."

"Yeah. There is no point in fighting. If you surrender and turn yourselves in now, then it is possible that the punishment might be a little more lenient." Lowell agreed. Of course, that isn't up to him. It will be up to the Rune Knights. Although, it only makes sense to him that they would receive better treatment if they surrendered than if they continued to fight.

Although, that didn't seem to have much of an effect on him. "As tempting as that sounds, I think that I'm gonna have to pass. Though, honestly, I could care less about what happens to those freaks. As far as I'm concerned, they're no longer my problem."

This just confused the two mages below him. "What do you mean?" Erza asked, curious to the meaning behind his words.

Kaze shrugged his shoulders in response. "What I mean, is that my brother and I already did our job. We stole the Pokemon like we were paid to do, and we're taking care of you Fairy pests as I speak. After this is done, the two of us are out of here."

"So, they are just paid-off lackeys. In that case, we're gonna have to pay their boss a visit." Lowell said to Erza. He then turned back to Kaze. "If that is true, then it wouldn't cause you any trouble on your part to tell us where we can find this boss of yours."

Kaze laughed before shaking his head. "No can do. I doubt they would care if we ran off. In fact, I'm sure that they are expecting us to run off. Though, I won't risk angering them by telling you where to find them."

 _"_ _So there are more than just one of them calling the shots, and they are strong enough to make these guys afraid of them."_ Lowell thought. This most certainly makes things more difficult than expected, but at least they have a clear objective. First, they need to beat these guys, and then their next job is to find their bosses and release the Pokemon.

"If we can't change your mind, then I guess that we don't have another choice. Don't expect us to go easy on you." Erza told him.

The black-haired thief glared down at them, putting his arms in front of him. "Good. It'd be an insult if you did!" A green magic circle appeared in front of him, spreading out to match the length of his extended arms. "Let's see how much you like this! **Raging Twister!** " A vortex of wind shot out from the magic circle, heading straight for Lowell and Erza at a blistering speed.

Lowell rolled to the side, just barely escaping the deadly twister. He looked back to see it heading straight for Erza. However, it wasn't a problem for her, because she jumped into the air and flew alongside the twister using the wings of her Black Wing Armor. She followed the twister until she reached its source, advancing on Kaze.

She slashed downwards with her sword, but he jumped to the side which caused her attack to narrowly miss. "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that to land a hit on me!" he said as he dodged another slash from Erza. He then jumped over her, using her back as a springboard to launch himself further away from the scarlet-haired swordswoman.

He hovered above the ground, looking directly down at Lowell. He smirked at the trainer. "Have a taste of my **Piercing Wind Needles!** " He swiped his arm downwards, which caused a barrage of sharp needles made of wind to descend towards the brown-haired trainer.

Lowell spread his legs, thinking of the best possible solution. The attack spread out, covering a wide range of angles. Even if he runs, there is no guarantee that he will be able to escape all of them. He can counter attack, but nothing he can create will cover a large enough area.

"Ah, screw it. **Solid Script Magic: Fire!** " The wave of fire burned away a majority of the needles that were headed directly for him. Though some of them remained unscathed, and they rained down upon him.

Lowell booked it running, dodging the remaining needles as they continued to come down. As he ran, he kept his arms above his head, which resulted in his arms being cut by a couple of stray needles. He winced in pain, but he ignored it and kept on running until he had escaped the remaining needles.

Once he was in the clear, he tiredly dropped to one knee before taking a look at his arms. They were cut up, with blood seeping from the wounds. They aren't too bad, though he will need to bandage them when he gets the chance to stop the bleeding.

Kaze landed several yards away from Lowell, smiling maliciously at the brown-haired trainer. "So, how'd you like that? It's a lot different when you are the doing the fighting, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. You're right. It is different to participate in the fight instead of just giving commands on the sidelines." he responded, a small smirk growing on his face. "Though, there is one thing that I know that you obviously don't."

Kaze raised a brow. "What the hell are you talking about?" However, as soon as he asked that, he could sense a surge in magical power behind him.

"It's that you should always watch your back!"

" **Black Wing Moon Flash!** "

Erza flew in from behind, slashing in a cross pattern with her swords, creating two blades of energy that sliced into Kaze. The blades exploded, engulfing Kaze in an explosion as Erza rushed past him, landing on the ground with her sword held to the side.

Lowell ran up beside her, looking into the smoke. "You don't think that finished him off, do you?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I doubt it. We aren't in the clear yet."

Just as she said that, a large gust of wind swept over them, threatening to blow them away. Along with the wind, the smoke from the explosion cleared away, showing Kaze surrounded by a shield of swirling wind. His cloak is a little torn up, and he has a couple of bruises, but other than that he doesn't seem to have taken much damage.

"He must've put up the shield at the last second to absorb most of the damage from my attack." Erza stated.

Lowell sighed. "Great. The fight only just started, and he is already being a major pain. He hasn't even brought out Sigilyph yet." he said. _"This is going to be tougher than I originally thought."_

Slowly but surely, the wall of wind surrounding Kaze started to dissipate before it became nothing but a cool breeze. "I'll admit, you almost had me with that one. Still, I might not be as strong as my brother, but you're gonna have to try a lot harder than that if you want to get past me." he gloated.

Lowell frowned. This guy is great at keeping a distance between his opponents, by using long range attacks. If they do manage to get close, then he has the acrobatic skills and speed necessary to escape them, and if he needs to, he can always put up a wind shield to absorb the damage from their attacks. Plus, he said that his brother was stronger than him. He can only hope that Wendy, Carla, and Kurt are alright.

Wind began to gather behind Kaze, almost resembling the move Tailwind. He then rushed forward, his speed having increased. "Now the real fun begins!"

* * *

Several minutes earlier, Kurt landed on one knee. He looked around and found Carla carrying Wendy in the air. Luckily, Wendy was able to pick up on the attack with her enhanced senses in time to give them a chance to dodge. Although, even though they managed to dodge it, Kurt's ears are still ringing from the attack.

"W-what the hell was that?!" he asked.

Carla floated nearby Kurt, where she dropped Wendy back on the ground. "I believe that it was some sort of sound wave attack." Carla responded.

Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. I managed to hear them almost as soon as they were let off because of my dragon slayer hearing." she said, still waiting for the ring to disappear from her ears.

They heard a chuckle from behind them, alerting them to another's presence. They turned around and saw Onpa crouched over, sending a one-eyed glare in their direction. "Clever little fairies, aren't you?" he stated sarcastically. "Yes. That was my Soundwave Magic. Even if you dodge, they will just bounce off nearby objects and reach you."

"So, you're one of these brothers that we heard about?" Kurt said, glaring daggers in the man's direction.

The man nodded. "That is correct. I'm sure you've already been told, but since I'm a gentlemen, I'd say a proper introduction is in order. My name is Onpa. Now, I already know about the girl and her little cat friend, but I'm not quite sure I am familiar with you, boy."

Kurt scoffed. "Well, if you really want to know, my name is Kurt, and I am the newest member of Fairy Tail."

"I see. Well, that is rather unfortunate. It looks like you might have chosen the wrong job, because I don't plan on failing my mission."

"And what exactly is your mission?" Carla asked coldly.

Onpa turned to look at her, making a small chill go down her spine when his eye made contact with hers. "If you really must know, then it is to take the five of you out." he responded, getting in a fighting stance with his legs bent, his body hunched over, and his arms spread out in front of him. "It isn't anything personal, really. It is just that I would rather not upset our employers before we hit the road."

"Even among criminals you have no loyalty. That is just horrible." Carla scolded.

Onpa shrugged his shoulders. "You do what you've got to do. It's not like this was a permanent thing. We simply took this job to make some quick money. Now that we got just that, there is no point to stick around and stick our noses into something that we shouldn't have."

Something about that gave Kurt a bad feeling. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Why waste my breath explaining it to you when you'll all be dead soon enough?"

Though the thought of something like that happening frightened her, she wasn't going to let it stop her from doing her best. "We won't let you get away with that! Even if you are strong, it won't stop us from finishing our job."

He didn't voice his thoughts, but Onpa was fairly impressed at how the young dragon slayer talked back to him like that. It takes guts for someone of her age to stand up to pull that off. Though, he shouldn't be surprised. After all, she does have the power to slay a dragon. She shouldn't be underestimated.

"You've got spunk kid, but that won't save you here. Don't worry, though, because I'll make sure that your end will be quick and painful."

Kurt and Wendy got in a defensive position. They at least know the kind of magic that their opponent uses, but they still don't know his particular fighting style. The smart thing for them to do is wait for him to make the first move, and then act accordingly.

Onpa looked closely at his enemies, his eyes landing specifically on Kurt. _"That cat can grow wings and fly, and the is a dragon slayer. Though, red over there is still an unknown. It would be best for me to take him out first, to eliminate whatever tricks he might have up his sleeves."_ He rushed forward, his sights set directly on Kurt.

The red-haired trainer took a couple of steps back to prepare himself for the incoming attack. However, Wendy was a step ahead of him, and she jumped into action to intercept Onpa before he could reach Kurt.

"I won't let you hurt him! **Sky Dragon Wing Attack!** " Wind gathered around her arms as she swung them forward. The wind went surging towards him almost as if a mighty dragon had beat its wings.

Onpa ducked underneath the wind before extending a single arm out towards Wendy. A small magic circle appeared on the palm of his hand, and it began to glow.

" **Sonic Wave!** " The soundwaves travelled at a great speed and with enough force to send Wendy flying into the wall of a nearby building. It wasn't enough to break the wall, but it was enough o leave cracks running through it before she fell to the ground, holding her hands over her ears.

"Wendy are you alright?!" Kurt asked as Carla flew over to her side. She stood up, still somewhat covering her ears as she nodded.

"Yeah. I'm alright, but the ringing is really bad." she told them.

"Of course, it is bad. A dragon slayer's enhanced senses are useful in many situations, but if you overload those senses, then they are nothing more than a sitting duck." Onpa said as he chased down Kurt. He pulled a fist back, ready to throw a punch.

Kurt saw this, but he didn't move. He isn't an expert, but he at least has some self-defense training. He is confident in his skills enough to block a punch. When Onpa threw his punch, Kurt went to catch it with his bare hand, not realizing that it wasn't a normal punch.

Like he thought, he managed to catch the fist, resulting in him to smirk a bit. "I'm not completely helpless." he said. Though, his smirk began to change to a frown when he heard his assailant begun to chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"The fact that you think my soundwaves are limited to long range." he said. This earned a look of confusion from Kurt, before his eyes went wide upon hearing the screeching sound emanating from the older man's fist. He let go of his fist before bringing his hands to his ears. Although, it didn't block out the noise from the soundwaves. "My Sonic Fist may not be very powerful, but the soundwaves that it emits are." he said before kicking Kurt away from him. He rolled across the ground, landing several feet away on his back.

Kurt stumbled back on his feet just in time to dodge another punch. However, Onpa kept his fist right next to Kurt's ear, so when Kurt went to punch him, he was stopped dead in his tracks when another round of ear-piercing screeching sounds rushed directly into his ears, making him drop to his knees in pain.

 _"_ _Damn. They just won't go away."_ he thought.

"See? Even if my attacks don't make direct contact with you, the soundwaves will still do their job." Onpa said. He was about to punch Kurt again, but he stopped when he sensed a great deal of magic power coming towards him.

" **Sky Dragon Roar!** " The large twister tore through the air, engulfing the thief and sending him flying away from the red-haired trainer.

"Are you alright?" Wendy asked after running to Kurt's side.

It took a moment before the ringing had went away entirely. When it did, he removed his hands from over his ears, and he looked down at the younger girl. "Yeah. I was a bit surprised, though. This is definitely a lot tougher than Pokemon battles, that is for sure." he responded.

"I warned you not to act recklessly." Carla stated with folded arms.

"How was I supposed to expect him to hurt me with a punch that didn't even tough me?!" Kurt retorted.

"Guys! Not now! We still have to deal with him." Wendy said, pointing to the thief who was dusting himself off after being hit by Wendy's roar.

"I'll admit that you caught me off guard. Though it won't be happening again." he said in a dark tone.

Kurt gasped after seeing him stand up from that. "How can someone get hit by what is essentially a mini-tornado and then stand right back up as if nothing happened?!" he asked in bewilderment.

"If you haven't already noticed, a lot of mages have developed a higher amount of stamina and durability through their intense training. On Earth, the Pokemon do the fighting. It is the other way around for those from Earthland." Carla explained.

"Yeah. I got about that much. But it is still ridiculous to see someone survive something like that."

"Ah, now it makes sense. No wonder why you are so weak. You are another one of these Pokemon trainers that I've heard about." Onpa said, finally putting some of the pieces together. "Well, it doesn't matter either way. You are still going to lose."

"I wouldn't say that so soon." Kurt responded, taking out a Pokeball. "I didn't want to resort to them so quickly, but I think that I might have someone that would be perfect for this situation."

"You mean that one of your Pokemon is a good match-up for him?" Wendy asked, receiving a nod in return.

"If my theory is correct, then yes. Let's just hope that I'm right." He reeled his arm back before tossing the Pokeball into the air. "Alright, Sableye! We've got some work to do!"

There was a flash of blue light before the Pokeball returned to Kurt's hand. Now standing in between them and Onpa is a small bipedal creature with a dark-purple body. It has sharp teeth and claws, along with blue gemstones for eyes and a red gemstone on its stomach.

Onpa took a quick look at the creature in front of him, almost wanting to laugh. "Well, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I guess I was hoping for something a little more impressive than this."

Kurt smirked. "He may not look like much, but Sableye is much more capable than one would expect."

"Um…Kurt, I don't think that is what he meant." Wendy said a little nervously.

He looked back at her, his brow raised in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Carla groaned. "I'm pretty sure that a battle isn't the right time to be taking a nap." she replied.

Kurt looked over to Sableye, and like Carla had said, he was hunched forward, out like a light. You can hear a quiet snore escape his mouth, indicating that he is indeed fast asleep. The red-haired trainer shook his head in disbelief as he went over to his friend and shook his shoulder a bit.

"Come on, buddy. Now isn't the time to be taking a nap." He isn't very surprised, considering that this isn't the first time Sableye has done this. He doesn't blame him, either. Sableye are supposed to be nocturnal, so he doesn't blame the Darkness Pokemon. "Tell you what, if you wake up and help me deal with this guy, then I'll find you the tastiest rocks you could ever ask for."

Before anyone could react, Sableye woke up and stood up straight, turning to look straight up at his trainer. "Done."

Wendy and Carla, and even Onpa sweat-dropped at the quick response.

"Was he even asleep to begin with?" Carla asked.

Wendy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. Either way, at least he woke up."

Sableye took a good look at the man standing across from him. To Sableye, he didn't seem all that tough. "Eh, I've dealt with worse, before." he said as he scratched the top of his head.

Onpa growled a little at the unintentional insult. "You won't be saying that for very long, pipsqueak."

A small tick mark appeared on Sableye's forehead, and he began to flail his arms around rapidly. "Who are you calling a pipsqueak?! Come over here and I'll show you who the pipsqueak is!"

"Oh great. A Pokemon who sleeps all the time that has a height complex. I have a feeling that this won't go very well." Carla stated.

Having enough of the comedy routine, Onpa began to charge towards Sableye with his fist reeled back. Although, Sableye just stood there, with no intentions of moving.

"What is he thinking? He'll just end up like Kurt if he doesn't try to move out of the way."

"I'm not so sure about hat, Carla. I mean, look at Kurt." Wendy said, pointing towards Sableye's trainer. He is looking onward at the fight in progress, without any sign of worry on his face. If anything, he is fairly confident. "I'm sure there is a reason why he hasn't moved yet."

Once Onpa had finally reached the Darkness Pokemon, he swung as fist as hard as he could, aiming to prove that he isn't one to be taken lightly. However, as soon as his fist made contact with Sableye, it just phased right through him, making all but Kurt and Sableye gasp in shock.

"W-what just happened?" Onpa asked, his one visible eye widened in shock.

"You may have a Pokemon of your own, but that doesn't mean that you know anything about type matchups." he said with a smug grin. "Your punches would be classified as either a Normal or Fighting-type move, neither of which have any effect on a Ghost-type Pokemon like Sableye."

Wendy smiled in amazement. "So, as long as Sableye is fighting, he won't be affected by any of his physical attacks? That's amazing."

"It is certainly a smart choice in this scenario." Carla agreed. Though, she still wore a frown on her face. "However, the real question is if his Soundwave Magic will work on him or not."

"Tch. You may not be affected by my physical attacks but try and escape this! **Sonic Fist**!" Soundwaves bounced all around, making the others clamp their hands over their ears. However, out of all of them, the only one aside from Onpa who seemed unphased by the spell was Sableye, who was looking up at Onpa with a bored expression on his face.

"Um…if you don't mind, could you maybe get your hand out of my stomach?"

Onpa looked down at him in shock. "Impossible! How could you be immune to by Soundwave Magic?" he asked in disbelief.

"Once again, my theory was correct. It looks like your soundwaves are considered a Normal-type attack, which means that they will have no effect on Sableye either." Kurt responded with a cheeky grin. "It serves you right for underestimating him."

Sableye turned his head back to face his trainer. "Can I start beating this guy up, or what?" he asked. "This is starting to get kind of boring."

Kurt laughed, nodding his head. "Of course. Jeez. I don't know what I'm gonna do with you." he joked before getting serious. "Alright, then. Let's start things off with **Fake Out!** "

"Roger that, boss." Sableye responded. Then, without any warning, Sableye slapped Onpa hard across the face, sending him stumbling back a couple of feet.

"What sort of attack was that?! He just slapped him!" Carla said.

"Fake Out is a move that causes the target to flinch, which gives Sableye the opening that he needs." Kurt answered before turning back towards the fight. "Now, use **Feint Attack!** "

Sableye quickly disappeared in the shadows, causing Onpa to look around to see where he went off to. "Where the hell did he go?!" However, he was answered when Sableye rose from the shadows behind him and kicked him in the back, sending him flying several feet towards Kurt and the others.

Kurt looked back at Wendy. "Now's your shot at him. Hit him with everything you've got."

She nodded before taking a deep breath, gathering as much wind as she could muster into her mouth before releasing it all at Onpa. " **Sky Dragon Roar!** "

"Use **Shadow Ball** in combination with her roar!" Kurt commanded.

Sableye created a big ball of dark-purple energy in his hands before throwing it directly into the middle of Wendy's roar. The two attacks combined, forming a dark-purple twister of wind. The twister collided with Onpa while he was still in the air, and the power behind it made him go crashing into the wall of a nearby building.

Kurt winced as he watched the man go through the wall. "Well…that doesn't seem good." he commented.

Carla sighed. "It's fine. It isn't like it would be the first time property was damaged because of a member of this guild." she replied.

"Still, I don't think that it's a good thing."

"At least we managed to beat him! With Sableye, he made it a lot easier." Wendy commented.

Sableye nodded his head in agreement. "He called me short. There wasn't any way that I was going to let him get away with it."

"We are really going to have to do something about that height complex of yours." Kurt stated.

"I don't have a height complex!" Sableye retorted.

As Sableye was yelling at Kurt, Onpa stood up from the rubble, revealing the bandage that was covering the other half of his face had been torn up from the combination attack. It shows a fair amount of burnt skin, as well as a jagged scar going across his unopened right eye. Although, now that the bandage is gone, you can clearly see the look of anger on his face. He moved his hand to grab a familiar ball-shaped device from his pocket.

"Let's see how you like it when I beat you at your own game!"

* * *

Back with Lowell and Erza, it was hard to land a clean hit on Kaze. Anytime they would get anywhere close to hitting him, he would use his wind to blow them away or create a shield to protect himself. Plus, he is surprisingly well-versed in hand-to-hand combat.

Lowell aimed a punch at his chest, which the other man caught and used as a chance to lift Lowell up and slam him back-first into the ground. He let out a small grunt of pain when he made impact with the ground. Kaze was about to launch another spell at him while he was still on the ground, but he began to back up when he saw Erza come charging towards him with two short swords in hand.

She is also now wearing her Flight Armor, which has drastically increased her speed and allowed her to catch up with Kaze. She slashed horizontally at his chest with her sword, only slightly grazing him and cutting the fabric of his cloak.

He stopped a couple of feet away from her, panting heavily. He was doing alright at first, but now he has exhausted a great deal of his magic trying to keep them at a distance, and he has used up a lot of his stamina trying to dodge their attacks.

Erza returned to where Lowell was and gave him a hand to help him up. She can tell that he is reaching his limit, as well. He still isn't quite used to using his magic in combat, and compared to some of the other members of the guild, he doesn't have as much stamina. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Despite how tired and aching his body is, he nodded his head. "I'm…alright, I think. Although, I am going to taking a nice nap after all of this is said and done." he said, eliciting a laugh from her.

"By all means. Though, safe that until after we've finished our job." she responded.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. First, we've got to beat this guy and meet up with the others. Hopefully it won't take us much longer to locate the Pokemon afterwards."

"That is, if you can beat us."

The two Fairy Tail mages looked over to where Kaze stood. Even though he is exhausted, he still has a smirk on his face. "I'm still standing, and I don't plan on falling anytime soon."

"How much longer can you fight in the shape that you are in? You gave us a challenge, but you can't win in your condition." Erza said.

Lowell nodded in agreement, also because he just wants the fight to be over with. "There is no point in fighting, anymore. Just give up, and tell us where we can find the Pokemon that you stole."

However, the smirk didn't leave the man's face. Instead, he pulled something out of his pocket, making Lowell's eyes go wide.

 _"_ _I can't believe that I almost forgot about that."_ he thought.

"I might be tired, but my little friend here still has plenty of energy to spare."

Lowell groaned, not looking forward to the continuation of the fight one bit. "This is going to be such a pain."

* * *

 **A/N: I apologize very much for yet another long wait! I just finished my finals for this semester of college last week, though, and thankfully I passed all of them, which means that I should be updating a little quicker, from now until I start college again, or until I can find a job. Anyways, I should've had this chapter done a couple of days ago, but I severely underestimated how lazy I would get after I finished my finals. I was already delayed due to spending Mother's day with my mom and the day before with my grandmother, but then afterwards it became a struggle for me to do anything productive. Although, I hope to change that, soon enough.**

 **Anyways, we finally get to the action of this arc, and we also get to meet another one of Kurt's Pokémon, Sableye. He is definitely a handful, but that doesn't make him any less useful. My idea behind Sableye was kind of a mix between Ash's Rowlet from the anime, as well as Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. I don't know. I just thought that it was funny, and I went with it.**

 **With that said and done, I shouldn't be as long with the next update, but I won't make any promises. Every time that I say I will have a chapter up by a certain day, I normally almost always end up being lazy, and I end up finishing it like four days later. It is a habit that I need to get out of, but who knows when that will happen? Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a review, because it is always greatly appreciates. I hope that you all have a good day/night!**


	23. Chapter 23

Back in the Fairy Tail guild hall, everyone is going about their usual business. Expectedly, a majority of the guild is wrapped up in some sort of fight. For some, that is getting involved in a normal, everyday Fairy Tail style brawl. However, others are using their time a little more productively, taking a chance to train with their Pokemon partners before heading out on a job.

Among these are Natsu, Gray, and their respective partners. Much like their trainers, Charmeleon and Sneasel have become fierce rivals, fighting and testing each other's strength. Ever since Charmander evolved into Charmeleon, Sneasel has been pushing himself twice as hard to catch up to his rival.

The Ice/Dark-type jumped on top of a nearby table, dodging Charmeleon's Ember attack. Sneasel smirked down at his rival. "It doesn't matter if you are stronger if you can't even land a hit on me." he taunted, causing Charmeleon to growl at him in frustration.

"If you would just stay still instead of constantly running away, then that wouldn't be a problem!" the Fire-type yelled.

"Don't worry, Charmeleon! We've got this in the bag! There is no way we're gonna lose to stripper and weasel over there." Natsu reassured.

Tick marks appeared on Sneasel's forehead. "What did you call me?!"

"Well, you are sort of a weasel." Gray commented as he scratched the side of his head.

"Yeah, but it's a matter of principal!" the Ice/Dark-type rebutted.

Natsu smirked. "Hah! And you called me childish! Look who's arguing with their partner, now!"

"You stay out of this!" Sneasel and Gray yelled simultaneously.

"Alright, then. If you won't attack, then we will! Charmeleon, use **Metal Claw!** " he commanded.

Charmeleon nodded. "Aye, sir!" he responded before jumping into action. Though, a certain blue-haired Exceed wasn't too happy about that.

"That's my line!" Happy cried.

"Shut up, stupid cat." Lucy responded.

Charmeleon leaped towards Sneasel, reaching his arm out to the side and coating his claws in a metallic energy. With a loud battle cry, he descended on the Ice/Dark-type. However, just as he reached him, Sneasel jumped out of the way, resulting in the table he was standing on to be smashed to little pieces, many of which went flying and nearly hit some of the other members.

"Watch it!" Wakaba yelled.

"Just when we thought their rivalry couldn't get worse." Macao responded with a tired sigh.

Ignoring them, Sneasel landed behind Charmeleon. " **Quick Attack!** " Gray ordered. With his body being engulfed in a glowing, white energy, Sneasel dashed towards Charmeleon and tackled him in the back, making him grunt with pain as he went flying into a set of tables.

Charmeleon stood back up, glaring daggers at the Sharp Claw Pokemon. "That was a cheap shot!" he growled.

Sneasel smirked. "No. It wasn't. You are just too slow." he responded.

"How about we try to make him a bit slower." Gray suggested with a sly grin. "Use **Icy Wind!** "

It might be an Ice-type move, but with the possibility of slowing down Charmeleon even more, it is just what they need to get underneath he fiery duo's skin even more. Sneasel unleashed an icy breeze, making those anywhere near the Pokemon scoot a little further away to avoid the cold air. Charmeleon just stood their and took it. To him, it just felt like a nice breeze. However, he could tell that his body stiffened up a little, meaning that he won't be as fast now.

"Now, let's follow that up with another **Quick Attack!** " Gray commanded.

Sneasel charged towards the slowed Fire-type, moving from side to side as to not make himself an easy target. Now, in response to this, Natsu could've had Charmeleon attack head on like usual. However, he has at least learned some things since becoming a trainer. He knows that Charmeleon can't keep up with Sneasel's speed, which is why he needs to wait from them to approach them.

Soon enough, Sneasel had appeared in front of Charmeleon, ready to strike. Though, this is what Natsu was waiting for. "Grab his arm, and when he can't move, use Ember head on!" Natsu ordered with a toothy grin.

Charmeleon did as his trainer ordered, reaching out and gripping Sneasel's wrist, making him let out a surprised gasp. Charmeleon then opened his mouth, letting out a flurry of fiery pellets. They burned as they made contact with Sneasel's skin, forcing him to push out of Charmeleon's hold and jump back. Still, he and Gray can use this to their advantage.

" **Avalanche!** " Gray ordered.

Suddenly, large, icy boulders formed above Charmeleon's head, shocking both him and Natsu. Neither of them had seen Sneasel use this move, before. With the sudden appearance, Charmeleon couldn't escape in time, resulting in him being smushed underneath the piles of ice. Because Sneasel just took damage, that attack did twice as much damage than it normally would. So, even though it is an Ice-type attack, it still did a decent amount of damage.

Though, this didn't last for very long. Charmeleon began to emit a large amount of heat, melting the ice and snow around him. He then stood up, using his raw strength to push the boulders off and to the side. "I'm gonna get you back for that one!" he declared, rushing towards the smirking Sneasel.

As they continued to fight, a familiar blue-haired girl walked through the guild's doors, stopping over at the bar and taking a seat next to Lucy, Klefki, and Happy. "Hey, Lu. How long have those two been at it?" she greeted. She noticed Natsu and Gray battling, yet again. Ever since Lowell and the others left for their job, they've been going at it like this.

"Who knows at this point." her blonde-haired friend answered, polishing one of her gate keys. Though, it was a hassle to get them away from Klefki, at first. "I'm sure that as soon as Erza is back, we are more than likely going to end up going on another job. Those two seem so restless whenever they aren't out on a job."

Levy raised a brow at her friend. "Aren't they always restless?" she asked, already knowing what the answer to that question was.

Lucy deadpanned, realizing that Levy had a point. "Yeah. You're right." she responded before smiling at her friend. "So, are you going to take a job today, or are you going to wait for Lowell to get back from his?" she asked.

Levy put a finger on her chin in thought for a moment. "They've been gone for a couple days, so they should be getting back, any time now. Although, it has been a while since I've gone out on a job with the rest of Team Shadow Gear, so I will probably ask Jet and Droy if they want to take a job, today." she responded.

"I'm sure they'll be happy about that. Ever since Lowell got here, you've hardly spent much time with them. They are probably getting a bit jealous." Lucy joked, knowing that it will get a wonderful reaction from her friend.

Levy blushed in response, though she quickly attempted to deny it. "I-I've just gotten caught up with other things, lately. Lowell has been helping me improve as a trainer, and I've been helping him improve with his magic. It is as simple as that." she explained, though there was no hiding the embarrassment clearly written on her cheeks.

The blue-haired mage then took notice of the other two members of her team sitting not too far away from them. Jet is currently brushing his Ponyta's fur, whereas Droy was sitting next to him and eating a drumstick. His Tangela is sitting on the floor next to him, eating a couple of berries.

Seeing as though they were already in the guild hall, she stood up and went to speak with them. "I'll talk to you later, Lu." she said quickly wanting to avoid any further embarrassment from her friend.

As Lucy watched Levy walk away, Happy took a seat on the bar counter, with a playful grin on his face. "She liiiikes him~" he said, referring to Lowell.

Lucy laughed in response. "Yeah, Happy. I think we all are aware of that."

Levy walked over to her team, and Ponyta was the first one to notice her. She got excited, and she took off towards the blue-haired mage, nearly kicking Jet in the process, since he was still in the middle of brushing her fur. She happily galloped her way to Levy, who immediately began to pet her. Jet is Ponyta's trainer, but whenever Levy appears, she always gravitates towards her instead of him. Although, Levy is pretty sure that she does it simply to mess with the orange-haired mage.

Levy smiled down at the fiery horse as she pets her. "Hey, Ponyta. How have you been?"

"Good." the Fire-type answered. "Jet was just brushing my fur."

"Which I couldn't finish doing, because you ran off…again." Jet responded. He'll never understand how one Pokemon could be so excitable and have so much energy.

Ponyta looked back at her trainer with what seemed to be a sheepish smile. "Oops, sorry. I just got excited."

Jet sighed in response. "Yeah. I know. Don't worry about it." he replied. At this point, he has accepted that it is just a part of her personality. It isn't like it is hurting anyone. He then shifted his attention towards Levy and smiled. "So, what's up Levy?"

"I just wanted to see if you and Droy wanted to go on a job with me. I know that I've been a little preoccupied with training my Pokemon lately, but I don't want that to affect our team." she responded.

This made the two mages in question smile. "Of course! We're always ready to work!" Droy responded. Though, given the fact that he is just sitting and eating a drumstick doesn't support his statement.

"We really need to go on a job today, anyways. It's been a while since the last one. We're in." Jet replied.

Levy nodded in understanding with a grin on her face. "Alright, then. I'll go pick out a job for us to take. I'll be back in a minute!" she said before running over to take a look at the request board.

She scanned the board, looking for a job that wasn't too difficult, but still paid a decent amount. A lot of the better jobs; however, have already been taken by other members. Though, soon enough, her gaze fell on a particular job, one which pays 300,000 Jewels.

The job entails investigating some mysterious activity near a popular tourist town. A festival is going to be held there very soon, but there has been some mysterious movement near the outskirts of the town, as well as instances of items like food, clothing, or Jewels being stolen. The mayor of the town wants to deal with the situation before the festival takes place, since people from all around Fiore will be travelling to the town for the event.

Levy smiled and picked the request up off the board. "Sounds simple enough." she responded before looking towards the bar, where Mira and Zoroa, who is currently transformed to resemble Mira, are setting drinks onto some trays. "Hey, Mira! We're gonna take this request." she told the waitress.

Mira took a quick look over the request before giving her the 'Okay.' "Be careful out there. I'm sure that Lowell wouldn't want to return to the guild and find out that his girlfriend got hurt." she teased.

Levy blushed, but she didn't come up with a retort. Knowing how Mira could get sometimes, she would rather just stay quiet, to avoid making the situation any worse. She then returned back to her team to show them the request, which both of them agreed with. Afterwards, they began to get ready to leave for the job. Though, none of them were prepared for who they were about to run into.

* * *

In Brook Town, Lowell and Erza are having a stare down with Kaze, who has a Pokeball in hand. Lowell and Kaze seem to be exhausted from the ongoing fight, though Erza still has plenty of energy left to spare. Compared to enemies she faced in the past, Kaze isn't much of a comparison to them. However, for Lowell, he isn't quite used to fighting in battles like this, so she isn't surprised that he is running low on energy.

"I'll admit, we probably bit off more than we could chew." Kaze commented. Though, he has a small smirk on his face. "However, I am still far from done, here. My little friend here still hasn't had a chance to say hello yet. I think that might have to change." he said before tossing the Pokeball into the air.

Lowell and Erza immediately got on guard. The brown-haired trainer also began to reach towards his pocket, ready to grab a Pokeball. First, though, he wants to see if his guess was accurate.

Soon enough, Kaze's Pokemon appeared in a bright, blue light, revealing the creature that the mayor had described to them. Like Lowell thought, it is a Sigilyph, and Erza can agree that it definitely has an odd appearance.

"Great. This is going to be fun." Lowell groaned sarcastically.

"Is it going to be that much of a challenge?" Erza questioned.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "It depends. If it has certain moves, then this might be a little annoying. Plus, there are two common abilities that Sigilyph can get. Neither of them are very fun, but there is one in particular that I really hope it doesn't have." he explained.

Erza nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, we should also keep an eye out for Kaze. I doubt that he will just sit on the side while we deal with his Pokemon."

Kaze grinned at his enemies. "How do you like him? I'll admit, I definitely prefer the one my brother got, but this one should do well enough to defeat the two of you."

Sigilyph didn't seem to happy upon hearing his trainer's words, though he just kept quiet. Lowell noticed this, and it immediately brought him to a boil. It is obvious to him that Sigilyph doesn't want anything to do with this guy, but he was unfortunate enough to be caught. After this is all over, he is going to have to see what he can do to help him.

Kaze looked away from Lowell and Erza and back to Sigilyph. "Now, let's see what you can do against some actual opponents. Use your **Air Cutter!** " he commanded.

Reluctantly, Sigilyph followed his trainer's order, not wanting to be punished for disobeying him. Wind began to gather as he flapped his wings, creating razor-sharp blades of wind that flew straight towards the two Fairy Tail mages.

However, Lowell had other plans. "I don't think so! Stunfisk, use **Thunderbolt!** " he said, throwing Stunfisk's Pokeball into the air. Stunfisk appeared, now in mid-air, in front of the Air Cutter. His body began to crackle with electricity before it was released as a powerful beam of lightning.

The two attacks collided, but Stunfisk's Thunderbolt overpowered the Air Cutter, thus destroying it. However, it was still going strong as it continued towards Sigilyph.

Kaze frowned. "Alright. If that didn't work, then let's try a **Light Screen!** "

Before the lightning bolt could reach Sigilyph, a shield of bright, yellow light appeared in front of him and blocked the electricity. There was a brief moment where the attack collided with the Light Screen before dissipating into nothing, along with the shield. However, its effect is still in play.

"According to what Sigilyph told me, this move is supposed to lower the damage of your long range attacks for a short period of time." Kaze explained with a small smirk on his lips. "I guess he isn't completely useless, after all."

Lowell grit his teeth, struggling to keep his cool. He just can't stand people like him. "It isn't wise to constantly belittle someone who is supposed to be your partner. When you need him the most, you'll wish that you had been kinder to Sigilyph."

In response, Kaze simply laughed, further irritating the veteran trainer. "I see that I've touched a nerve. Well, to be quite frank, I don't care what you think. As far as I'm concerned, this guy will continue to do as I say, if he doesn't want to end up like the rest."

That last statement both irritated and intrigued Erza. "What do you mean, like the rest?" she demanded. "Are you referring to the other Pokemon that you stole from the people of this town?"

Kaze shrugged. "I guess you'll have to beat us to find that out." he responded. "But don't think that I'll make it that easy for you. Sigilyph, use **Psybeam!** "

There was a brief moment of hesitation on Sigilyph's part, but the Flying/Psychic-type did as commanded. A beam of blue energy, mixed with colorful rings fired from in front of his mouth, heading straight for the two mages and Stunfisk.

Still in her Black Wing Armor, Erza took flight and met the Psychic-type attack midway. She quickly sliced through the beam attack, before gathering magic up in her sword to prepared for her own attack. She then swung her sword, creating another large blade of energy.

" **Black Wing Moon Flash!** "

The long-range attack struck Sigilyph head on, creating a small explosion that sent the Pokemon flying back a couple of feet. Kaze didn't even bother trying to have him dodge the attack. Instead, he let the effect of Light Screen kick in to soak up some of the damage. Still, it bothered the members from Fairy Tail that he would just let Sigilyph take the damage.

After the first attack, Erza maneuvered around Sigilyph and began to aim for Kaze. If they can take him out of the fight, then they wouldn't have to worry about Sigilyph attacking them, since he only attacks them because of his orders.

However, they still have another trick up their sleeve. Kaze smirked. "Use **Reflect!** " he ordered. Soon after, Sigilyph flew in front of Kaze before creating another barrier in front of him, this one being blue. Erza's sword clashed against it, only for it to create sparks and bounce off.

Once the Reflect disappeared, Kaze jumped into the action. He coated his fist in a swirl of wind, and he punched Erza in the stomach. As soon as his fist made contact with her, it created a large gust of wind between the two of them that sent Erza flying back into the ground.

She skidded to a stop, leaving a small trail in the gravel beneath her. She stopped just in front of Lowell, and she looked back at him to see what he thought of the situation. "Those barriers that he put up are going to be difficult."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Light Screen raised their defense against long-range attacks and Reflect raised their defense against Physical attacks. So, no matter what we do, as long as the effects are still up, we won't be able to do much damage to either of them. He wants us at a distance, and it seems to be working, so far." he explained.

"Do you have an idea to get past those barriers?" Erza asked, keeping her eyes on the enemy in case of a surprise attack.

"I have an idea." Lowell answered, though his lips are still curved into a frown. "The problem is, there is a fifty-fifty percent chance that it will work."

"Try it. I'd say that would be better than doing nothing." she replied.

Lowell nodded in understanding before letting out a sigh. "Alright, then. Let's hope that this works." he said, turning to Stunfisk. "Use Toxic on Sigilyph. Hopefully, we get lucky and it doesn't have _that_ ability." he said.

Stunfisk nodded before shooting a spray of poisonous sludge from his mouth. It flew through the air, hitting Sigilyph directly. It didn't do any physical damage, but hopefully it will be able to chip away at Sigilyph's strength, making the fight a bit easier on them.

Things were silent for a moment, while Kaze looked at his Pokemon in confusion. "Was that supposed to do something?" he asked, looking back at the mages. He didn't receive an answer, of course. He shrugged. "I guess not. Anyways, Sigilyph, use **Air Cutter** , again." he ordered.

Lowell, Erza, and Stunfisk dodged the incoming blades of wind. However, Kaze then added more of his needles from earlier to the mix, which Stunfisk had to counter by using his Thunderbolt.

As they were dodging, Erza sent a glance Lowell's way. "Did the plan work?" she asked.

Lowell took another look at Sigilyph, and by the looks of things, he hasn't taken much damage. If it worked, then it should've already began to take its effect.

"I guess not. My plan was to poison him with Toxic to weaken him gradually, since status moves aren't affected by Light Screen or Reflect. The problem, though, is that Sigilyph can have one of two abilities: Magic Guard or Wonder Skin. Wonder Skin makes status moves like Toxic more likely to miss. Though, this one must have Magic Guard, which means it can only take damage from attacks." he explained.

Erza frowned. "So, then we have no choice but to attack it directly." she summed up. "You were right earlier, when you mentioned the annoyance that fighting them can be."

"Yeah, but that definitely doesn't help our situation right now." Lowell replied as he continued to dodge the windy projectiles. He is trying to come up with another plan, but so far, that is proving to be rather difficult. Erza would be better in a close-range fight, but with all the projectiles being fired at them, it is rather difficult to get in close. Then, any projectile that they send at them can be easily countered.

Lowell was about to reach for another one of his Pokeballs, but then that reminded him that one of them still hasn't brought out their Pokemon, yet. He also remembered what Erza's Honedge's ability was, and he had an idea.

"Hey, Erza. Bring out Honedge. He should be able to help out, because of his ability." he suggested.

Erza began to think, trying to remember what Honedge's ability was. Once she finally remembered, she gave Lowell a questioning look. Are you sure about that? That might be a bit risky."

"Yeah, but it also might just work. Besides, I'm sure that it'll catch them by surprise."

Erza thought about it for a moment before deciding that he had a point. She used her Re-quip magic to pull out Honedge's Pokeball, exchanging it for her sword. While she was at it, she also Re-quiped into her Clear Heart clothing. "We need your assistance, Honedge!" she said, tossing the Pokeball and releasing the sword-like Pokemon.

Honedge briefly hovered in the air before floating right into Erza's awaiting hands. "I'll be your sword, Lady Erza." Honedge said, making Lowell look over at the scarlet-haired swordswoman with a raised brow.

She simply shrugged her shoulders in response. "I'm not entirely sure why, myself. He's called me that ever since I caught him. I figured that he wasn't hurting anyone, so I didn't have much of a reason to tell him to stop." she briefly explained.

"So, Titania has a Pokemon of her own as well, huh?" Kaze asked no one in particular before shaking his head. "Not like it'll matter. Some measly sword like that won't be enough to stop us."

Erza got into a fighting stance, wielding Honedge as if he were one of her normal swords. "Perhaps not by himself, but together, it is more than enough to defeat you." she retorted.

Kaze snorted. "We'll see about that. Sigilyph, use **Air Cutter** again!" he ordered. Once more like before, he sent several razor-sharp blades of wind towards the mages and their Pokemon. However, Erza and Honedge were more than ready to counter.

" **Swords Dance.** " Erza gave the order. Without giving a verbal response, several miniature swords began to dance around Honedge's head, before quickly disappearing.

The two of them stood their ground, waiting for the blades of wind to reach them. Then, just before they were about to hit them, Erza gave Honedge another command.

"Now, use **Fury Cutter!** "

The blade portion of Honedge began to glow green, and that is when Erza began to slash away at each of the blades of wind. With each one that they took down, Honedge could feel his power slowly rising, until he reached his limit. Once Air Cutter was taken care of, Erza leaped into the air, heading straight for Sigilyph. As much as she would prefer to not fight him, if she were to go after Kaze, then he would just have the poor Pokemon take the hit.

Seeing as though the Air Cutter didn't do very much, Kaze decided to switch things up a bit. "If that didn't work, then let's try **Psybeam!** "

However, almost as soon as the colorful beam had reached Erza and Honedge, they had already sliced through it, Fury Cutter still active. Not only is it at the max power that it can reach, but Bug-type moves like Fury Cutter also have an advantage against Psychic-type moves like Psybeam.

After that attack also failed, Kaze realized that he needed to fall back, otherwise they would soon take down Sigilyph, and then he would be next. "Get out of the way!" he yelled.

Sigilyph attempted to do as he was told; however, thanks to Honedge's ability, that wasn't going to happen. When he tried to flee when he saw Erza and Honedge coming at him, he found that he was unable to. Soon enough, Erza had swung at Sigilyph with enough force to send him flying backwards into Kaze, which sent both of them crashing to the ground. By now, the Light Screen and Reflect protecting both of them should be down, which means that they took the full force of that attack.

Kaze pushed Sigilyph off him before standing up and glaring at the Flying/Psychic-type. "What the hell was that?! Why didn't you move like I ordered you to?!"

Erza landed not far away from him, Honedge now floating at her side. "It's due to Honedge's special ability. It is called No Guard, and thanks to it, no attacks were able to miss. So, even though, Sigilyph tried to dodge, No Guard prevented him from doing so." she explained.

Kaze grunted, seeing as though he had been outsmarted. "Damn. Who knew you would've had a dumb trick like that up your sleeve."

Erza placed a hand on her hip as she stared down Kaze. "Just give it up, already. There is no point in continuing this any further. You are tired, and you failed to work together with your Pokemon. You can't achieve a victory just by forcing him to do as you please."

The brown-haired thief growled a little as he glared at the swordswoman. "That's what you think. Sigilyph, use **Psybeam!** "

However, several moments passed, and Sigilyph was just floating there, unmoving. This just proved to anger Kaze even more. "What are you doing?! I gave you an order!"

"An order in which I will not obey." Sigilyph responded, speaking up for the first time. He turned to stare at his 'trainer,' giving him what the others could guess to be a glare, though it is hard to tell given his odd appearance. "I have no reason to follow your orders, anymore. Not only have you treated me like a slave since you captured me, but you also cannot seem to accept your own defeat. Why should I listen to you, when you no longer in any position to hold power over me?"

Lowell grinned as he watched the scene unfold. "Well, Erza, you were definitely right. He just used his Pokemon, never truly working together with him. In the end, who he thought was only a tool for him betrayed him."

Kaze could feel all five of them glaring daggers at him, making beads of sweat begin to slid down his face. _"Crap. There is no way that I'll be able to take on all four of them by myself. I've got no choice but to retreat and wait for Onpa to catch up with me."_ he thought.

Now, with thoughts of retreat in his mind, he created one last large gust of wind aimed at the others to slow them down. After that, he booked it in the opposite direction, hoping to loose them in the forest.

However, it wasn't meant to be, because before he could make very much progress, he was struck in the back by a Thunderbolt, curtesy of Stunfisk. When he turned around to counter attack, he was bombarded by a barrage of muddy bombs.

" **Mud Shot!** "

The force behind the attack caused him to stumble backwards, now covered in mud. So, while he was trying to wipe the mud out of his eyes, a thin shadow swiftly made its way across the ground and behind Kaze, reappearing as a larger, and more spooky version of Honedge.

" **Shadow Sneak!** "

Kaze grunted in pain as he felt the attack from behind. However, there was still one last attack to be made. Sigilyph charged up one last Psybeam, sending it at her former trainer/captor. There was a large, colorful explosion, with Kaze in the center of it.

Whenever the smoke and dust had settled, it revealed Kaze laying on the ground, covered in mud and unconscious.

Lowell looked down at the thief with a frown on his face. "This wouldn't have happened, had he just given up when he had the chance." he said with a sigh.

Erza nodded in agreement. "I concur. However, he made his choice. Now he has to pay the price."

"Yeah. There is supposedly a jail in this town. We can take him there, and then we can meet up with the others. Surely, they have engaged the other brother, as well."

"What about Sigilyph?" Stunfisk asked.

At the mention of the Flying/Psychic-type, they all turned to look at him in unison. What they saw was him floating beside Kaze, where his Pokeball has rolled out of his pocket and onto the ground. However, what happened next shocked them. Using his psychic powers, he levitated the ball and placed it into Erza's hand.

"I understand that I've done some bad things, helping that man. Even if I was threatened, I'm still not in the right. I am prepared to repent for my wrongs, even if it means sharing the same fate as my…former trainer." he explained.

Erza stared down at the Pokeball in her hand for a moment before deciding to drop it on the ground and crush it by stomping on it. "If you want to repay the misdeeds that you have done, then you can start by helping us reunite the Pokemon the brothers stole with their true owners. Surely, you at least know the general whereabouts of where they are being kept."

Sigilyph was silent for a moment, utterly shocked. He wasn't expecting for them to let him off so easily. He still has to make things right, but hopefully this will be a start. "Yeah. I know where it's at. There is a cave located in the mountains. Once inside, it leads to an underground laboratory."

"Why did they even capture this Pokemon to begin with? Do you know?" Erza asked.

Sigilyph shrugged his wings in response. "All I know, is that their bosses seem to be interested in gathering energy from Pokemon. However, I never overheard the exact reason why. It was never mentioned." he explained.

Hearing that made Lowell ball his fists in anger. In a way, it kind of reminded him of Lysandre, and how he used Xerneas' power to activate the ultimate weapon. Whatever reason these people are interested in using the energy from the Pokemon, it can't be good, and he won't stand for someone else trying to use Pokemon for their own nefarious purposes.

"I guess it can't be helped." Erza responded. "Either way, let's get moving. Once we deal with Kaze, then we can meet up with the others. Hopefully they are doing alright."

Lowell nodded in agreement. "Yeah. That would be for the best." he responded, unclenching his fists. He is admittedly a bit worried about Kurt; however, he knows that his Pokemon will be there to help him, as well as Wendy and Carla. Hopefully, with all of them there, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

* * *

On the other side of the town, there was a loud ***boom*** , and dust and gravel was scattered everywhere. It took some moments for the dust to finally settle, and once it did, it revealed the mages from Fairy Tail and Sableye standing several feet back from their previous location, which now has a pretty large crater in the ground.

"W-what was that?" Wendy asked, a look of absolute shock written on her face.

Carla, who is on the ground beside her, has a very similar look on her face. "I didn't realize that sound alone could cause so much damage." she said.

"That's because you haven't seen an Exploud in person, until now." Kurt and Sableye replied at the same time. Then, as if on cue, a loud voice boomed throughout the streets, loud enough to make some want to cover their ears.

 **"** **Hahaha! That was pretty fun! You should see the looks on your faces!"**

Now standing across from them is the Pokemon they saw in Kurt's Pokedex. It is looking at the shocked mages, hardy laughter escaping from his gaping mouth. Onpa then appeared next to the Loud Noise Pokemon, his mask now gone. The group from Fairy Tail got a look at his face for the first time, each of them letting out a startled gasp.

"What the hell happened to your face?!" Kurt asked. He's never seen an injury such as that, before. Although, now that they can see his entire face, they can clearly see just how irritated he is, and he isn't sure that he truly wants to know what happened.

"It does look pretty bad." Wendy commented, not expecting to see such a wound.

Onpa's glare hardened, sending small shivers down their spines. "If you truly wish to know, this is what happened the last time one of our employers got pissed off." he answered with a slight growl in his voice.

"Y-your own employer did that to you?! How cruel!" Carla responded.

"Yet another reason why after we get done with disposing of you, we are getting the heck out of here. I don't feel like dealing with that crazy woman ever again." he said before getting into another fighting stance. "Now, if we are quite done talking, I'd like to get this over with, already!" he said before charging towards them.

In anticipation of his next attack, Kurt stepped back a bit as Sableye got in position to intercept the Soundwave mage. "Stop him with **Shadow Ball!** "

Without hesitation, Sableye created another sphere of dark energy and shot it at the enemy mage. However, before they could do anything else, Exploud had jumped in front of Onpa, taking the Shadow Ball directly. There was a small explosion, surrounding him with dark smoke. Though, when it cleared, he was just laughing away, without as much as even a scratch anywhere on him.

"H-he took that attack like it was nothing!" Carla said in surprise.

"That's because he is a Normal-type. Just like how Normal-type moves can't affect a Ghost-type Pokemon, the reverse is true, as well." Kurt explained.

"So, that means that Sableye won't be able to hurt Exploud, but Exploud won't be able to hurt Sableye, either. That would make it a stalemate." Wendy observed. Though, she was then interrupted by the Normal-type.

 **"** **Nice try, kid, but that's not exactly the case. I've got my ways of dealing with pesky Ghost-types like him."** he said with a smirk. He took a deep breath before letting out a loud yell, creating large soundwaves in the shape of pink hearts. **"Disarming Voice!"**

The pink, heart-like soundwaves moved above the ground, disturbing the gravel road beneath as they travelled towards the Fairy Tail group. Once it reached them, the force behind the soundwaves was enough to send them skidding back a couple of feet, as well as to move their hands up to protect their ears from the irritating sound.

Out of all of them, Sableye was the one that was the most affected by the attack. Since he is also part Dark-type, Disarming Voice, which is a Fairy-type move, is super effective.

Once the attack stopped, Wendy and Carla looked up at Exploud with widened eyes. "What impressive power." Carla stated.

Kurt nodded his head in agreement, keeping his eyes glued on the fully-evolved Pokemon. "Yeah. A lot of people underestimate them in their pre-evolved state, but the truth is that they can be a dangerous foe." he responded.

 **"** **Awww~ I'm flattered that you think so highly of me! Though, flattery won't save you, here."** Exploud responded, seemingly enjoying the situation, unlike Sigilyph.

After Exploud finished talking, more soundwaves came from behind him, catching the members of Fairy Tail by surprise. They couldn't cover their ears in time, being hit by the full volume of Onpa's attack. The only ones that seemed unphased by the attack are, of course, Onpa himself, as well as Exploud and Sableye.

Kurt grunted in pain as he realized what had just happened. _"Because of Exploud's ability, it isn't affected by sound-based moves, so none of Onpa's attacks will hurt him. That surely is a deadly duo."_ he thought.

The attack stopped, though the ringing in everyone's ears didn't. Onpa walked around Exploud and stopped behind him, the grin on his face a little unsettling. "You can consider before a little warmup. Now, though, don't expect either of us to hold back." he responded, bending over and placing his hands on the ground.

"Great. What is he doing, now?" Kurt said to himself. He then noticed the magic circle forming underneath Onpa. Though, he had no idea what the Soundwave mage was planning.

Wendy did; however, and she warned the others. "Get back! I have a feeling that this is going to be a big attack!" she informed them.

" **Crushing Soundwave!** "

Onpa channeled his soundwaves directly into the ground underneath him. The force from the soundwaves caused the ground to break up, and the destruction continued towards the members of Fairy Tail.

Carla grabbed hold of Wendy before flying away, meanwhile Kurt and Sableye simply jumped out of the way to avoid being caught in the rubble.

 _"_ _Why did I ever want to come to this place?!"_ Kurt thought. Sure, he's had his fair share of crazy experiences, but he never once imagined that he'd be in this sort of situation.

Once in a relatively safe area, he looked back and gaped at the destroyed road. The gravel has been blown all over the place, and now jagged rocks spread throughout the street, and some of the nearby buildings were also damaged by the flying debris.

Flying above the others, Wendy saw a chance to attack. She took a deep breath, before unleashing another one of her breath attacks.

" **Sky Dragon Roar!** "

However, as the twister-like attack was heading for the thief and his partner, Exploud stepped in front of his trainer and took a deep breath.

 **"** **Boomburst!"**

Like his first attack, Exploud gave off another loud yell, creating a powerful burst of soundwaves. It collided with the roar, before cancelling the attack out and continuing to head towards the blue-haired dragon slayer and the Exceed.

Carla couldn't move out of the way in time, so she and Wendy were caught in the powerful attack. The force behind it was so strong that it sent the two of them crashing into the ground.

Kurt turned towards the purple Pokemon and gave him a small glare. "Sableye, we need to take care of him, first. If he keeps using Boomburst, chances are that he's going to destroy even more of the town."

Sableye nodded in understanding. "Let me at him." he replied.

Laughter was heard once more from the Loud Noise Pokemon. **"A little shorty like you, take me down?! Hah! I'd like to see you try!"** he taunted.

Though, he didn't realize that his little insult was just going to add more fuel to the fire. A tick mark formed on Sableye's forehead, and he began to shake a little out of frustration.

"Who are you calling short?!" he asked enraged, leaping towards the bigger Pokemon.

 **"** **That won't work! Disarming Voice!"** Like before, heart-shaped soundwaves travelled towards Sableye at a quick pace. Though, Kurt and Sableye weren't intending on falling for the same trick twice.

"Use **Feint Attack!** " Kurt ordered. Sableye then disappeared in the shadows, dodging the Disarming Voice. He then reappeared behind Exploud and kicked him hard in the back, sending the bigger Pokemon back a couple of feet. Now, while he is stunned from the last attack and not facing Sableye, Kurt decided to seal the outcome of the battle with a single move.

The red-haired trainer smirked. "Alright. Right where we want you. Sableye, use **Toxic!** "

"Roger that!" Sableye responded, producing a poisonous sludge that drenched the opposing Pokemon. Once Toxic soaked in, Exploud's cheeks turned a darker shade of purple, and small, poison bubbles came out of his body every now and then.

Kurt grinned. "Since that it done, the longer this battle progresses, the more it effects Exploud. Sooner or later, the Toxic damage will take him out of the fight."

However, while he was busy dealing with Exploud, he had almost forgotten about his other opponent. That was until he noticed Onpa running towards him out of the corner of his eye, his arm outstretched with a magic circle surrounding his fist.

"One rule of combat you should never forget, is to never let your guard down!" he yelled, bringing his fist closer for the attack.

" **Sonic Fist!** "

Though, before his attack could make contact with the red-haired trainer, Wendy arrived and blocked it with a strike from her leg.

" **Sky Dragon's Claw!** "

Wind and sound collided, creating a large shockwave where the foot and fist met. However, after having enchanted herself with **Arms** , the power behind her kick was increased, causing her to send Onpa sliding back. However, she wasn't finished. She coated her hands in wind and swiped them downwards, creating a small twister that immediately followed after the thief.

" **Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!** "

Onpa was almost caught in the middle of the flurry of wind. Though, he managed to jump back in time. He then created another large magic circle in front of him, creating more soundwaves.

" **Sonic Wave!** " His soundwaves shot through the air, cancelling out the blustering winds.

Wendy landed right beside Kurt, who is looking at her in amazement. Carla wasn't very far behind. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Kurt nodded in response. "Yeah. Man, that was pretty awesome, Wendy. I didn't realize that you were so strong."

Wendy shook her head in response. "I-I'm not all that strong. I'm better at using my magic to heal others. Still, if I want to be able to protect the people I care about, then I need to get stronger." she replied.

Despite her young age, Kurt could see the determination in her eyes. After they finish here, he is going to have to work hard, if he hopes to catch up to her and the others. "Either way, you certainly helped me out. Thanks." he said with a smile.

Wendy returned the smile. "Of course. So, what did you do to Exploud?" she asked.

"Toxic is a move that inflicts the poison status. Now, Toxic is going to take away some of Exploud's energy every now and again. Eventually, he won't have any energy left and won't be able to continue fighting." he explained.

"So, it is only a matter of time, then. After that, it will just be the thief." Carla stated.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah, but that all depends if we can hold out until then." he responded. That is the main downside of Toxic. It is a very powerful move, but if they can't hold out until it has done its damage, then it won't matter.

There was a loud stomp, as they saw Exploud standing up straight. **"It'll take a lot more than this for you to stop me! As long as I can still move, that's all that I need to crush all of you!"**

"Why are you even helping that man? Didn't he and his brother kidnap your kind, only to be used for their employers' benefit? Why would you help them do something like that?" Kurt asked, enraged. It is one thing for someone to steal someone else's Pokemon. It is another thing for a Pokemon to willingly help someone kidnap their own kind.

"You think that I would care about something like that? This guy caught me, and so if he orders me to do something, I'll do it. Besides, this is a lot more fun then being on the receiving end of things." he replied.

"That shouldn't be how a trainer does things! We don't just order our Pokemon around. We work alongside them, sharing each other's pain and experiences. If a Pokemon doesn't feel comfortable doing something, then a trainer shouldn't force them to do it anyways. A true trainer takes the feelings of their Pokemon into account!"

After hearing Kurt's ramble, Onpa scoffed. "I don't see how I'm forcing him to do anything. I offered him a choice. Either he helps me, or he shares the fate of all the other Pokemon we captured. He chose the latter, and he chooses to do as I say."

"Still, Pokemon shouldn't be used for such purposes. It's wrong." Kurt replied.

"Maybe to you, it is. It's all a matter of perspective, really." Onpa responded. "Now, let's finish this up, quick. Exploud, use another **Boomburst**. Maybe that'll show them that we aren't playing around." he said.

 **"** **With pleasure!"** the Loud Noise Pokemon responded. He was getting ready to attack, though, it was interrupted when, suddenly, Sableye appeared behind him using Feint Attack.

"I'm not going to let you get away with that!" he stated before kicking Exploud in the back.

Exploud let out a pained groan as he turned around to face Sableye. **"You little brat! You'll pay for- ungh!"** he was interrupted when Toxic kicked in, taking away some of his health. Though, the damage will only continue to grow over time, since the longer Toxic is in effect, the more damage it will do each time.

"Now, Wendy! Attack while he is weakened!" Kurt called out.

"Right!"

Carla grabbed hold of Wendy and flew towards the weakened Exploud. Once they were close enough, Carla let go of Wendy, who then dove towards the ground at a fast pace.

Wind gathered around Wendy's foot as the dragon slayer descended upon Exploud. She began to spin a bit and gain a little more momentum, before slamming her heel straight down on Exploud's head.

" **Sky Dragon Claw!** "

Violent wind pushed Exploud back, knocking him back into the wall of a nearby building. Wendy landed where Exploud was once standing, with Onpa now rushing towards her. The thief raised his leg before aiming a kick for her head. Though, Wendy was quick to cast another enchantment and move her arms in front of her head to block.

" **Armor!** "

Wendy began to glow blue for a moment, before taking the kick head on. She was pushed back a couple of feet, but the enchantment was able to protect her. Though, it wouldn't protect her from the next attack.

Onpa released soundwave from his foot, making Wendy move her hands to cover her ears. After she had dropped her guard, Onpa punched her, using Sonic Fist to propel her further.

As she was about to fly and hit a wall, Kurt jumped out and caught her. The force caused him to slide back a bit, but ultimately, he managed to slow them both down before setting Wendy back onto the ground.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked.

Wendy nodded, looking back to Onpa. "Yeah. He's pretty strong, though."

"We've made some progress, but we are still hardly getting anywhere. Maybe I should call out another one of my Pokemon." Kurt said to himself, though Wendy heard him. That reminded her that she was the only one who hadn't brought out her own Pokemon yet. Goomy might be the strongest, and he might be afraid of fighting, but he could still be of help to them.

Wendy took out Goomy's Pokeball, looking at it a little in her palm. "Like me, he isn't very strong, but I'm sure that he will be able to help out."

"In that case, call him out. The more the merrier, after all." Kurt responded with a grin. "Besides, what better time then now to gain some much-needed experience."

Wendy nodded her head, throwing Goomy's Pokeball into the air. "Come on out and lend us a hand!" she yelled.

Onpa watched from afar as a blue light illuminated the street. "So, the brat has a Pokemon as well. What a nuisance." he stated. Though, when he saw Goomy emerge from the light, he wasn't very amused. "Is that…thing supposed to be a match for us?" he asked, a little baffled. Why would they bring out such a weak looking creature?

Goomy opened his eyes and looked around his surroundings. He immediately caught sight of Onpa and Exploud across from them, as well as the injuries on his trainer and the others. Realizing that he had been called out in the middle of a heated fight, he began to panic a little.

"W-w-w-why would you call me out, at a time like this?! There is no way that I stand any chance against either of them!"

 **"** **He's right, you know?!"** Exploud called out. Though, it was immediately followed by another grunt of pain, due to Toxic. **"That little pipsqueak will just end up getting crushed!"** That statement was immediately followed by a loud scream of pain, also coming from the Loud Noise Pokemon.

Sableye was behind him, and he had raked his claws into the larger Pokémon's back. "Who's a pipsqueak now?!" he asked.

 **"** **It's still you! And I wasn't even directing that towards you, you idiot!"**

Wendy kneeled down beside Goomy and pet his head, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's alright to feel scared. Everyone gets scared, every now and then. Use your fear as motivation to keep moving forward and to keep getting stronger. I know you can do it."

"Wendy is right. You can't let yourself be controlled by your fear. Otherwise, you will never improve." Carla replied.

Goomy looked between the young dragon slayer and the Exceed, still scared. "But…compared to them, I'm…"

"It doesn't matter if you aren't very strong right now." Kurt told him. "Even if you can't contribute very much, the smallest of things can often times sway the outcome in your favor. You've just got to believe in yourself, as well as your comrades. Wendy is your trainer. No matter what happens, she will always be there to support you."

Goomy looked up to his trainer who is still smiling down at him. Before he met her, he didn't have anyone who he could rely on. Many people would just pass by him, because he was too weak and timid for a real battle. Though, despite all that, she was willing to accept him for who he was. It didn't matter to her if he was weak or not. As long as he gives it his best effort, he knows that she would be pleased. Even if he won't end up being much help at all, he is going to give it his all, so that he can help the person that was willing to put her faith into him.

"I-I don't think that I'll be very useful, but…I'll try my best." he said, feeling a little more determined than he was before.

"Alright, then. I'll be counting on you, Goomy." Wendy said, smiling.

Goomy turned around to face his opponent, though he was tempted to turn back around after seeing the man's irritated face. He doesn't seem very pleased right now, and that scares him.

"How touching, but don't think that it'll make any difference. That pile of slime is no match for my magic." he said, creating a large magic circle in front of him.

"Alright, Goomy. How about we set the playing field to your advantage. Use **Rain Dance!** " Wendy told him.

Goomy created a misty sphere in front of him before shooting it into the sky. Moments later, several dark clouds formed above them and started to rain. The cool rain felt good to Goomy, keeping him hydrated. Even though Goomy doesn't have an ability that helps in the rain, Goomy is more comfortable moving around in the rain, so that should help him during the fight.

Onpa took a quick look up at the dark clouds that suddenly appeared. "So, these creatures can even control the weather? Interesting. No matter, it won't help you! **Sonic Wave!** "

"Not so fast." Wendy said, moving to intercept the attack. " **Sky Dragon Roar!** "

Her twister-like roar met the soundwaves midway, cancelling out the attack. She then looked back at Goomy. "Now, use **Dragon Breath.** " she told him.

Goomy nodded. "I'll do my best." He inhaled before releasing his breath and sending a stream of purple, draconic energy at the thief. The attack hit him head on, and Onpa braced himself by moving his arms in front of him.

Once the attack had stopped, Onpa had taken some damage. Though, it wasn't very much. "Nice try, but like I said, you are too weak to defeat me." He attempted to move forward, but suddenly, it was as if he had been struck by lightning. He tried to move his arms, and then his legs, but they hardly budged. The small amount that he was able to move, his limbs felt much heavier. "W-what the hell did you do to me?!" he asked.

"Dragon Breath has a special effect. Not always, but sometimes, it has the chance of leaving the foe paralyzed. So, unless you have a Cheri Berry or a Paralyze heal, then you are out of luck." Kurt explained.

Onpa growled as he tried to move his body again. This time, it seemed as though it was more cooperative then before.

"Now, Goomy, use **Bubble** while he is stuck like that." Wendy ordered.

Goomy blew a small stream of bubbles from his mouth that floated towards Onpa. He was looking at them quizzically, not understanding how bubbles were supposed to do anything. Though, once they hit him, they burst open, causing several small explosions that pushed him back. Since it is raining, all Water-type moves are given a boost. Bubble is still fairly weak, though, so it still didn't do too much damage.

Onpa quickly recovered from the attack before going back on the offensive. He is still paralyzed, but that doesn't mean that he still can't attack. There is only a chance that he will remain fully paralyzed, so he still has a chance to attack. He is just slowed down a little.

Wendy tried to slow him down even further with a Sky Dragon Wing attack, though the thief managed to narrowly dodge being hit by the raging wind. He then continued moving forward, punching Goomy. The initial punch did a little damage, though, it was the after affect that did the real damage.

" **Sonic Fist!** "

The soundwaves sent Goomy flying backwards, right into Wendy's arms. "Goomy, are you alright?" she asked, seeing how he had tensed up. Although, she also noticed that he was beginning to glow white.

Kurt noticed this, as well, and he realized what Goomy was trying to do. "Wendy, put Goomy down." he said.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Just do it, and trust that Goomy will be able to keep going." he said with a sly grin.

Wendy noticed the smile on his face, so she decided to go along with it. If he seemed confident, then Goomy must be up to something, and he probably doesn't want to let the thief know what is going on. She placed Goomy back on the ground, to see what he would end up doing.

Onpa took a look back, to see that Exploud was still fighting against Kurt's Sableye. He is beginning to grow very tired, more than likely from Toxic, as well as the sneaky Feint Attacks that Sableye keeps landing. "Do you mind giving me a little help, over here?" he asked irritably.

Exploud knocked Sableye away with another Disarming Voice before turning to face his trainer. **"I'm a little busy here, myself!"**

"Just do it!" Onpa yelled, beginning to grow a little impatient.

 **"** **Fine! Just chill out, already!"** he yelled. He turned around and unleashed more of the heart-like soundwaves towards Goomy and the others. **"Disarming Voice!"**

The heart-like soundwaves continued to move towards Goomy, though he didn't try to move out of the way. Instead, he sat there, and he took the full force of the attack, making him slide backwards and make a trail in the wet gravel. He is now panting heavily, with bruises covering his body. He is still fairly weak, so it is hard for him to take several hard hits like that in a row.

"Goomy!" Wendy called out, worried.

Kurt chuckled. "Don't worry, Wendy. In fact, I think that what Goomy is about to do is going to surprise you." he said.

"What do you mean?" Carla asked, confused.

"Just watch and find out." he replied.

Onpa looked down at the small Soft Tissue Pokemon. "I'm impressed that you are still standing. You were able to take more than I was expecting. Still, with the shape you are currently in, you won't be able to defeat me."

"That's…what you think." the strained voice of Goomy said, making Onpa's one good eye widen. Goomy is now glowing brighter than before, the energy he has been gathering reaching a high level. Onpa, as well as Wendy and Carla were able to sense the raw power that Goomy has amassed in such a short period of time. "I might be small, and I might be weak. But even so, I won't just stand there and cry in fear, while my trainer is depending on me!"

Finally, Goomy couldn't hold it in anymore, and he released the massive amount of power that he had gathered by taking those past few hits. " **Bide!** " The energy was released in a massive, powerful white beam that tore through the street and engulfed the shocked thief. Not far behind, Exploud was standing there, watching the beam move closer and closer to him until he was also surrounded by the powerful attack.

Sableye managed to escape, due to Bide not affecting Ghost-types, and he watched the attack slowly fade with the others from Fairy Tail. Even though the attack is now fading, Bide had managed to reach as far as the mountains, destroying a fair amount of rock in the process.

Once the bright, white light had completely faded, Wendy and Carla were staring at the exhausted Goomy in complete shock. They could tell that Goomy was probably charging up for some sort of attack, but neither of them would've imagined that Goomy was capable of such a feat.

Goomy turned around and looked up at Wendy. "So, did I…do alright?" he asked.

Wendy was still slightly shocked at what Goomy had managed to do, but she still smiled at him. She then kneeled down and gave Goomy a hug. It was a bit slimy, but Wendy didn't mind. "You did well. You're a lot stronger than you think you are, Goomy."

A small blush formed on Goomy's face from the praise. "W-well, I was just trying to do my best." he responded.

"Don't worry about that. You did great. Now we just need to work on your confidence. It won't be easy, but I'm sure that will change the longer you spend time with the rest of Fairy Tail." Wendy said.

While they were talking, the rain had also stopped, and Kurt walked over to where Onpa and Exploud are. Both of them have been knocked unconscious from the large blast, and it also seems as though Toxic has finally wore off. Since they don't have to worry about them waking up for some time now, he walked up to Sableye and kneeled beside him, patting his head.

"You did a good job. Now, you can get back to your nap, and I'll make sure you give you a nice treat, later on." Kurt said.

"I just didn't want to let those two get away with calling me short." Sableye responded.

Kurt sighed, calling Sableye back into his Pokeball. "We really need to do something about that height complex of yours."

Even though Sableye was now in his Pokeball, Kurt could almost hear Sableye yelling, "I don't have a height complex!"

After securing Onpa and Exploud, Wendy used her magic to heal whatever wounds that had. For the most part, it was just a bunch of bruises and scratches, but she still healed them, just so that they could be in prime fighting condition in case they happen to get into another fight. Wendy also called Goomy back into his Pokeball so that he could rest. He did a good job, so he definitely deserves it.

While they were tending to everything, they heard several pairs of footsteps coming towards them. They turned around, and they smiled when they saw Erza and Lowell. Although, they were a little concerned when they noticed Lowell's injured arm, as well as the Sigilyph following closely behind him.

"Are you both alright?" Wendy asked.

Lowell nodded. "Yeah. The other brother used Wind Magic, and a couple of his wind needles hit my arm. I don't think that they went too deep, though."

"Still, I'll get to healing them right away, so that your arm doesn't get any worse." Wendy said as she moved closer to him to heal him.

"Thanks, Wendy." he said with a grateful grin.

Erza took noticed of the two lying unconscious on the ground, and she took a guess at who they might be. "So, you ran into the other thief, then."

"Well, it was more like he jumped at us. We were patrolling the streets, when he suddenly attacked us with his Soundwave Magic." Carla explained.

Erza nodded her head in understanding. "I see. Well, thankfully it doesn't look as though anyone got too badly injured." she said.

"Goomy got hurt, but he was also the one to defeat both of them." Wendy replied.

Lowell chuckled as he was being healed. "Let me guess, he used Bide." he responded, getting a nod of the head in return. "Well, that was definitely risky, but at least it ended up working." he said before turning to face Kurt. "So, how did it go for you?"

Kurt let out a tired huff. "Let's just say that it is much different than a Pokemon battle and leave it at that." he responded. "I've definitely got a lot of training to do."

"Don't worry about that. I'll help you out, if need be. We are rivals, so I'd be a little disappointed if I got too ahead of you. It wouldn't be a challenge if you were to fall behind." Lowell said with a playful smirk.

Kurt gladly returned it. "I wouldn't be talking like that, if I were you. I might not have been able to do much, but compared to how you got hurt, I got off pretty well."

"That's because after you got too careless, you did the smart thing, which was to stand back and let the others handle it." Carla replied with crossed arms.

"He didn't need to know that!" Kurt complained.

Wendy was giggling at his silliness, though she also decided to bring up another question. "So, I am guessing that this is the Pokemon that belongs to the other brother."

"Belonged to. I am no longer his Pokemon." Sigilyph corrected.

"Sigilyph was threatened into following Kaze's orders. However, once he realized that Kaze was close to being defeated and that he could be free from him, he turned against him and helped us defeat him. He also informed us that their employers are keeping the Pokemon in a secret laboratory located in a cave in the mountains." Erza explained.

Kurt punched a fist into an open palm. "Alright, then! After we take these two to the jail, let's hurry up and rescue those Pokemon." he said.

Lowell grinned in response. "I couldn't agree more. They are going to regret messing with the bond between human and Pokemon."

* * *

 **A/N: I am SO sorry for such a long wait! It has been over a month since the last time I updated this story. Of course, I also did a double update for my other story, so that is one of the reasons why I was behind on this story, but other than that, I don't really have any other excuse. I've just been really lazy and enjoying my summer. I never realized just how addicting watching old T.V. shows could be, because I have been watching old seasons of Big Brother for the past several weeks. I've also been watching a lot of My Hero Academia, and this newest season is incredible!**

 **Ahem, with all of my rambling aside, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. It was a heavily combat oriented chapter, and I still feel like I need to work on incorporating multiple people in the same fight a bit better. Even so, if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review, because I am eager to know what you think. Have a wonderful day/night, everybody!**


	24. Chapter 24

After accepting their request, Levy and her team got on the train and began heading towards the location specified in the request. It is located in northern Fiore, and the town is known as Yuma. It isn't very big, but the town is known for its hot springs, which is what often attracts so many tourists. It took several days to reach the town, but once they did, they received a better rundown of the situation from the mayor.

Coming up soon is their annual festival celebrating the original founder of their town. It is a rather important time for the people who live there, so with these thefts occurring so close to the festival, it has the mayor worried. He wouldn't want the festival to be ruined for the townsfolk by a couple of petty thieves.

After speaking with the mayor, as well as a couple of witnesses, they decided to take their search into the forest surrounding the town. They were informed of some odd-looking characters escaping into the woods, not very long after a theft had occurred.

It seemed like the most logical starting point, so the three of them got to work right away. Droy was a little upset because he wanted to try some of the food from the booths set up around the town, but he was told that he could eat after they got the job done.

While the three of them searched from below, Levy had Noctowl search from above. With a pair of eyes in the sky, she was hoping that it wouldn't take long for them to find the thieves. Though, really, she just wanted to get back to the guild hall as soon as possible, in case Lowell got back while they were gone.

As they were searching, Jet and Droy took notice of their friend's odd silence. She appeared to be deep in thought, and it had them worried.

"Hey, you alright there, Levy?" Jet asked, stirring her from her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine." she said with a smile.

"Are ya sure? You haven't said anything since we started looking for these thieves." Droy added, taking a bite out of a chicken leg that he just so happened to bring with him.

"Don't worry about it. I was just thinking about something, that was all." she assured him.

"Let me guess. You were thinking about Lowell?" Jet assumed, causing Levy to immediately turn red in the face.

"W-what? W-why would you assume that?" she asked, flustered.

The two of her teammates looked at her with neutral expressions on their faces and spoke at the same time. "Yep. Definitely thinking about Lowell."

This only made her blush even harder. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. I was just thinking about the job." she denied.

Jet sighed. "Obviously, that isn't true, otherwise you wouldn't be blushing this much. Besides, I think it is obvious to everyone at this point that you like him."

Levy's blush remained as she looked down a little. "R-really?"

Droy nodded, still eating his food. "Yeah. I'm surprised that you two haven't made it official, already."

"Why does everyone seem to think that he feels the same way about me? Everyone seems to realize it, except for me."

"Because, Levy, you and Lowell both seem to be rather blind when it comes to how you feel about each other. Though, given how you two spend so much time together, I'm surprised that you still don't believe it yourself." Jet explained.

To her surprise, they seemed to accept it better than she had thought. "S-so, you aren't upset?" she asked.

Jet raised a brow. "Why would we? I mean, yeah, we used to act a little obsessed at times, but if you like him, then there is nothing wrong with that. As long as you are happy."

Droy nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Though, if he ever does anything to hurt you, then you can count on us to teach him a lesson."

Levy giggled in response. "Thanks. Though, it isn't like we are dating."

"Are you going to tell him, or are you going to wait for him to admit his feelings first?" Jet asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I haven't figured that out, yet. I'll think about it after we finish this job."

Almost as if on cue, she heard someone calling them from above, and they looked up to see Noctowl descending towards them. Levy outstretched her arm, allowing him to perch on it.

"Did you find the thieves?" she asked.

Noctowl nodded his head, though he also seemed conflicted. "I believe so. However…"

"What's wrong?"

"I saw them in a field up ahead with crates of food among other things. Though…if they are thieves, then they are quite…odd." he explained.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jet asked, confused.

Noctowl shook his head in response. "I'll show you to where they are. You'll see what I mean once we arrive there." he replied before taking off once more and leading them towards whom he believed to be the thieves in question. Though, his explanation left them confused and curious.

"I wonder what he saw that got him all riled up like that." Jet wondered. "These people must be pretty weird if that was his reaction."

"Hopefully this means that they won't be very tough." Droy commented.

"Either way, let's keep following Noctowl." Levy said. "Like he said, we'll figure out what he means when we get there."

It took them several minutes, but Noctowl finally perched himself in a nearby tree. Levy and the others hid behind a group of bushes as they looked into the field. Like Noctowl had said, they can see several crates stacked up. Although, for a moment, they couldn't see anyone.

"I thought that they were supposed to be here. Where did they go?" Jet asked.

"They couldn't have just left those crates behind. Unless they had trouble lifting all of them. I wouldn't blame them." Droy said, making the others sweat drop.

However, seconds later, Levy noticed several people step out from behind the crates. She was expecting dark mages, or something along the lines of that. Instead, when the culprits stepped out from behind the crates, she couldn't help but feel disgusted at what she saw. The others didn't take much longer to notice either, and both guys wore similar faces.

"W-what are they wearing?" Jet asked.

"T-that is just awkward." Droy replied.

Levy brought a palm to rest on her forehead, remembering what Erza and Wendy had told her a while ago.

"You have got to be kidding me." she said to herself.

* * *

After dropping off Onpa and Exploud at the town's prison for the Rune Knight's to pick up later, Lowell and the rest of the group made their way towards the hidden laboratory in the mountain. Luckily, since they have Sigilyph to lead them there, it makes it much quicker and easier than if they would've had to interrogate one of the thieves.

The six of them maneuvered around the mountainside, climbing over steep faces of rock and jumping over gaps. According to Sigilyph, the cave is located midway up the mountain, and then leads further downwards. For everyone aside from Sigilyph, Erza, and Carla, the climb was a bit difficult, but they were making progress.

As they made their way up the mountain, Sigilyph filled the rest of the group in on what he knew about the whole situation. Though, even his knowledge is rather limited, since the thieves' employers were pretty tightlipped.

To say that they were disgusted is an understatement. Having seen what sort of cruel things people would do to Pokemon, Kurt is just as angry with them as Lowell, possibly even more. "It's only been a few months, and these people are already finding ways to abuse and misuse Pokemon. It's sad." he said irately.

Wendy nodded her head in agreement, a sorrowful frown on her face. "It was bad enough to steal them, but it's hard to believe that someone would even think to do something so horrible." she said in disbelief.

"I agree, but unfortunately this isn't the first time this sort of thing happened." Lowell said as he jumped over another small gap in the rocks. Looking down, had he not made the jump, then he would've ended up falling over thirty feet. "I remember having to stop a maniac who needed a Pokémon's lifeforce to activate an ultimate weapon capable of eliminating a majority of life on the planet."

Carla waited to comment until she managed to help Wendy over another big rock. "It is a shame, but I guess that criminals will always find ways to turn something good into some sort of tool for obtaining power."

Hearing their conversation, it made Sigilyph feel disappointed in himself. Even though he was threatened into helping, it doesn't change the fact that he still chose to aid them in doing something so twisted.

"I acted like a coward. I should've never chosen to help that poor excuse for a man, even if I would've just ended up like the other Pokemon they stole."

"I don't think that really matters much, anymore." Kurt said, not very far behind the Flying/Psychic-type. He isn't doing much better than everyone else at climbing, but he is at least managing to not fall to his demise. "You know what you did was wrong, and now you are helping us resolve the issue."

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "That's right. Besides, you were frightened. Many tend to act without thinking when scared or in a stressful situation. That goes for humans, as well as for Pokemon." she told the guilt-ridden Pokemon.

"I guess you are right. Though, I just hope that we will be able to put a stop to whatever those people are planning. After hearing what Lowell said, the thought of them possibly trying to create some powerful weapon doesn't sit well with me." Sigilyph responded.

"The same goes for all of us." Lowell said. "The last thing that I need is to deal with another situation like that."

"Well, if we could just reach the stupid cave already, then it wouldn't be much of a problem. We need to actually get there before we can talk about stopping them." Kurt replied.

However, moments later, a thought popped into Carla's mind. "Wait a moment. Lowell, don't you have three Pokemon that can fly?" she asked, and everyone turned towards Lowell with despondent looks.

He looked back at them, an embarrassed blush appearing on his face. The truth is that he hadn't even thought about that. "O-oops. I guess that I forgot."

"Seriously, man? How could you forget?" Kurt asked in disbelief, though this resulted in him receiving a glare from the brown-haired trainer.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you also have a Pokemon that can fly." Lowell countered. Upon saying that, it made everyone turn their glares onto the red-haired trainer.

"Hehe…um…oops?" he responded.

Lowell sighed before taking out two of his Pokeballs. "I guess that I was just distracted thinking about the situation at hand. In hindsight, I feel like an idiot for forgetting, but at least someone ended up reminding me." he said for tossing his two Pokeballs. Charizard and Dragonite appeared, and somehow the two of them didn't start fighting with each other.

Kurt then took out his own Pokeball, tossing it and revealing another one of his Pokemon to the other members of Fairy Tail. Once the blue light had dimmed and disappeared, it revealed a green, Dragon-type Pokemon that resembles an insect.

It has a pair of large rhombus-shaped wings with a red trim, toeless hind legs, and skinny arms with three-clawed hands. Its tail has several dark green stripes and three small green rhombus shapes with red trims at the end. It has large eyes, and a pair of green antennae.

Flygon let out a tired groan and stretched her arms and wings. "It is about time that you finally let me out of that accursed ball. I haven't stretched my wings in days."

Kurt scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I'll make it up to you later, I promise."

Flygon continued to glare at Kurt for a moment before sighting and turning her head away. "That'll be fine." she responded. The Dragon/Ground-type then took note of Lowell and the others, and she smiled kindly at the familiar brown-haired trainer. "It is a pleasure to see you again. It has been quite some time."

Seeing how kindly she treated Lowell, Kurt pouted a little. "I'm your trainer, and yet you are nicer to him than you are to me." he complained quietly, though his complain was completely shut down when the Dragon-type turned back to give him another glare.

However, this made Lowell chuckle. "I guess she is in a pretty bad mood, today."

"Is she normally like this?" Wendy asked curiously.

Lowell shrugged his shoulders in response. "Occasionally, yes. Flygon can be rather cold when she is annoyed, but she still cares about Kurt. She just doesn't like to admit it, because she thinks it'll make her look weak."

Dragonite huffed and crossed her arms as she floated above them. "Suits her well enough. She acts like a spoiled princess."

Her comment managed to elicit a laugh from Charizard. "You're just mad because she caught you by surprise the last time that you battled each other."

That response made Dragonite get up in his face, growling at him a little. "Say that again, you oversized lizard! I'll show you who is better than who!"

"I'll fight you here and now!" Charizard said, butting his head against hers.

Lowell covered his face with the palm of his hand as his Pokemon continued to argue with each other. "I should've known that was going to happen. This is why I don't like calling the two of you out at the same time." he groaned.

This made Kurt chuckled. "You would've thought that they would've grown out of this phase by now."

"Kind of like how Natsu and Gray should've grown out of theirs a long time ago." Carla commented.

"At this point, I've given up trying to stop them. The only one really capable of doing that is Gardevoir." Lowell replied.

However, that was before he remembered who else was standing there with them. It wasn't until they felt a chill go down their spines that they turned and saw Erza with a dark and menacing look in her eyes. The person who could be considered Gardevoir's human incarnate, and can be just as menacing as her, if not more, is standing with an impatient look on her face.

"Now is not the time to be arguing like this. If you can't cease your fighting yourselves, then I'll gladly cease it for you." the red-haired swordswoman said, making Dragonite and Charizard immediately back away from each other.

Kurt looked onward with both shock and fear. "R-remind me not to get on her bad side." he said to Lowell.

"Duly noted." Lowell responded with a nod.

Meanwhile, Sigilyph was floating to the side, trying to avoid the confrontation the best he could. _"S-she's scarier than the two brothers."_ he thought to himself.

Once the commotion had finally settled down, they managed to get back on the task at hand, but not before Lowell and Kurt received a stern talking to from a certain swordswoman to keep this from happening again. It was a bit embarrassing, considering that they are supposed to be expert trainers, but both of them agreed that arguing like that is something better left outside of important jobs.

Lowell rode on top of Charizard's back, meanwhile Erza rode on Dragonite's back, much to the Dragon-type's displeasure and the Fire-type's relief. Kurt rode on the back of Flygon, and Carla carried Wendy like she normally would. Sigilyph flew ahead of all of them, to lead them to where the cave is supposed to be.

Without needing to maneuver the rest of their way up the mountain, things went a lot quicker. Sigilyph wasn't too familiar with the area, but he was familiar with it enough to lead them to the cave in under five minutes.

Once they finally reached the cave, they all landed on a small strip of flat rock in front of it to dismount. Lowell and Kurt called their Pokemon back, because they doubted that the three large Pokemon would be able to get through the rather narrow cave. Perhaps Flygon could've, but they weren't going to chance it, either way.

Sigilyph floated slightly ahead of the others, checking to see if he could see anyone. It was a bit difficult to see anything in the dark cave, but he didn't see anyone. "Well, this is it. I don't think that there are any traps leading to the laboratory, so it should be a rather straight forward trip." he told the group.

Erza nodded. "Very well. However, we shouldn't let our guards down. More likely than not, we will encounter whoever is behind all of this. We need to be prepared for a fight."

The others nodded in agreement, not liking the idea of being taken by surprise. Lowell then took a couple of steps into the cave, writing something in the air with his magic. Using his Solid Script magic, he created a small lantern that he can carry with them. It didn't illuminate the entire cave, but it was enough to help them see a few yards in front of them.

"I'll take the lead with Sigilyph. We should have Erza stick towards the back, just in case we get snuck on from behind." he suggested.

The others seemed to be alright with this. So, with this decided, they delved deeper into the mysterious cave. Erza kept an eye out from the rear, while Wendy, Carla, and Kurt stuck in the middle.

Considering that they are basically walking into their enemy's territory, all of them were on alert, keeping an eye out for any indication that an enemy was closing in. Though, so far, all that they are able to see is rock, and all they can really hear is the sound of water dripping from stalactites.

The further they descended in the cave, the more uncomfortable they began to get. The deeper they got, the stuffier the air became, and also Lowell has never been a big fan of going into caves, so this experience isn't very fun for him.

"Just how far down is this laboratory supposed to be?" he asked.

"I don't really know. I just know that it is pretty far down. After all, it is supposed to be a hidden lab." Sigilyph responded.

Kurt chuckled. "Why? Are you getting claustrophobic or something?" he asked.

Lowell shook his head. "No. I just don't like being in places like this. I don't like the thought of there possibly being a cave in and getting crushed underneath tons of stone."

"Y-yeah. That doesn't sound very nice." Wendy agreed.

"Calm down, child. I highly doubt that will happen, so just don't think about it." Carla assured.

Kurt crossed his arms over his chest. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Given that we may end up with a serious fight on our hands, who knows what'll end up happening?"

As much as he'd like to think otherwise, that is very true. In a Pokemon battle, if you lose, you can always just heal your Pokemon and then try again later. In this sort of situation; however, one wrong move could ruin everything and put them in a bad spot.

"That is why we need to keep our eyes peeled and focus on the task at hand." Erza reminded. "The faster that we can find and retrieve the Pokemon, the better. Remember, ultimately our task is to rescue the Pokemon that were stolen. That is our main priority."

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "You don't need to tell us twice." he responded. They had a bit of a foolish moment earlier, but that doesn't mean that they are any less determined to get the job done.

Kurt grinned. "Yeah. When it comes down to it, you can be sure that we'll give it all we've got. After all, we can't forgive these guys for what they are planning."

The six of them continued to move further into the cave, with their only real source of light being the lantern that Lowell created. Even then, it doesn't give off very much light, and the light provided by the sun has long since been left behind.

After nearly fifteen minutes of walking through the dimly lit tunnel, Lowell stopped walking altogether when he noticed the metal door several feet in front of him.

"I'm guessing that this is it, unless we passed up another conspicuous door on our way here." he said turning to look at Sigilyph.

"Nope. This is it. Although, it only has a regular lock." Sigilyph responded.

Kurt snorted. "I guess they weren't expecting for someone to actually come snooping down here."

"Well, to be fair, most people wouldn't climb this far up to simply play around in a dark cave." Carla replied. For most, it wouldn't be such an easy climb, so it makes it a rather convenient spot for criminals who want to hide something.

"So, what should we do now?" Wendy asked thoughtfully. "If the employers are still inside, then going through the front door might not be the smartest idea." the blue-haired girl suggested.

"As much as I agree with you, I'm not seeing many other options. I say that we just bust through the front door and go from there. Maybe the initial shock of someone busting down their door would be enough to distract them momentarily. I'm sure as hell that it'd distract me." Kurt suggested.

As much as Lowell wanted to smack his friend on the head, he had somewhat of a point. Plus, they probably don't realize that they managed to defeat the thieves that they hired. As far as they are aware, they could possibly still be fighting in the streets.

Lowell huffed. "As reckless as that sounds, I guess that is our best option. I'd rather stick with that than go look for another route, because who knows how long that will end up taking."

After that was settled, Erza made her way to the front of the group and re-quipped one of her swords. "In that case, stand back, and I'll get the door open."

Lowell was about to suggest that they could just kick the door down, but then he realized just how painful kicking a metal door is. So, instead he simply let Erza do her thing.

With a single clean and powerful swing, the door was sliced in half. The two halves fell to the ground with a thud, allowing them to take a peek into the room. It is well lit up, allowing them to get a good glimpse of the stone floor, metallic walls, and a couple of tables with varying equipment and machines.

After taking a quick look into the room, Erza couldn't see anyone, nor could she sense any magic power. "That's strange. It seems as though they vacated the place. Perhaps they knew that the thieves wouldn't last very long, and so they escaped while they had the chance." she said. She doubted that, though. Surely it won't be that easy.

Kurt, on the other hand, was eager to get the job done and he walked past the scarlet-haired mage and into the room. "If that's the case, then let's get this done while there is still no one here."

Once inside, none of them could deny that this was a secret laboratory. The entire room was littered with random machines and tools, most of which they had no idea what their purpose were.

Although, the most noticeable thing in the room is the pedestal near the back of the lab. On it rests a singular glass casing with several holes on the sides with several tubes hanging above it.

Lowell frowned at the device. "I'm guessing that this is what they used to take the energy from the Pokemon." he said.

Sigilyph nodded his head with sorrow. "Yes. I witnessed them extract something from them through those tubes. I don't understand what purpose it will serve them, but having to watch those Pokemon suffer didn't sit well with me."

Lowell gave him a reassuring smile. "That is why we are here, after all. Just show us where the Pokemon are being held, and we'll be able to return them to their rightful owners."

Sigilyph nodded before showing them to a door on the other side of the lab. Unlike the entrance, this door doesn't have a lock. It opened easily, letting them into the room where the cages containing dozens of Pokemon are located.

The sight itself was enough to make any true Pokemon trainer livid. Lowell and Kurt have both seen instances of this sort of treatment before, but never have they seen so many Pokemon being held in cages like this at once. Many of them had frightened expressions on their faces upon hearing the door open. However, once they realized that it wasn't their captors, they began to fill with hope, believing that they were about to be rescued.

The six of them entered the room, not noticing the magic circle drawn on the floor as they passed right by it.

"W-who are you?" one of the Pokemon asked. It was the Rattatta that had recently been one of the dark mages' victims.

Lowell walked over towards the cage the purple rat Pokemon was in and kneeled so that they were at the same level. He gave the Normal-type a reassuring grin.

"Don't worry. We aren't with the people who captured you. We came here to get all of you out of here." he informed them.

However, several of the Pokemon noticed the Sigilyph with him, recognizing it as one of the Pokemon that helped with their capture. The group quickly noticed the glares being sent Sigilyph's way, and they quickly tried to defuse the situation before it got worse.

"It's alright. He isn't with those people, anymore." Wendy assured them.

Erza nodded in agreement. "Indeed. In fact, it was him that led us here."

Sigilyph attempted to bow his head, though since its head made up a majority of its body, it just looked like he was floating horizontally. He apologized for his actions, telling them that he was trying to make up for his misdeeds by helping them escape.

Some of the Pokemon were hesitant to believe him, but since they all wanted to escape, they decided to trust him and the people with him. However, that now leads to yet another problem that must be solved. How are they going to free them?

The cages that they are in seem to be made out of a rather durable metal, which would make cutting through it impossible without possibly hurting one of the Pokemon. They can see that on each of the cages was a lock where a small key would fit in.

"I'd say that the safest option would be to go and look for the key." Kurt suggested.

The others agreed, and they were about to split up and start searching for it. However, before they could do that, those of them that could use magic felt a sharp spike in magic power behind them, urging them to turn around. They were surprised to see that there is now a red-headed woman wielding an axe blocking the door. Flames surrounded her as she appeared from nowhere.

The woman has long, red hair, ash-gray eyes with red specks, and slightly tanned skin. She is rather short, but her attire and weapon give her a fiercer appearance. She is wearing a brown, horned helmet atop her head, her chest wrapped with bandages. Her wrists are armored with red arm braces outlined with bronze, and she is also wearing a pair of red short, and a pair of black boots stopping just above her ankles. She has the symbol of a large wing on her right shoulder.

The axe in her hand is dual bladed with a red rod, and black blades. The members of Fairy Tail can't tell if it is a magical weapon, but it is yet another thing that they need to be wary about.

Etna smirked as she watched the light guild mages went on guard. "Well, isn't this quite the surprise. It seems as though those pathetic thieves failed after all." she said before immediately laughing. "Oh, who am I trying to fool? They were no match for the likes of Fairy Tail. But, they did make for the perfect distraction."

"Who are you?" Wendy asked seriously, though this just made Etna laugh once again, making Wendy flinch a little.

"Well, isn't that cute. Such an adorable girl like yourself trying to act tough." the older woman said in a mocking tone, puffing out her hip and placing a hand on it. "I guess I should at least be polite and give my name. I'm Etna. Or, did you already know that from this guy?" she said, directing her gaze towards Sigilyph who shrunk a bit under her burning eyes.

Getting tired of the woman's teasing, Erza held her sword out, glaring at Etna. "What purpose did you have stealing the Pokemon from the townspeople and collecting their energy?" she asked.

Etna's eyes drifted down to the sword in Erza's hands before starting her fellow red-head directly in the eyes. "Getting impatient there, aren't you? Though I should've expected you to just cut straight to the point." she responded, amused by the situation.

Lowell took a couple of steps forward, moving in front of Erza but still standing feet away from their enemy. Erza was tempted to stop him, but she could see the clearly angry look in his eyes. She has seen him irritated before, but she isn't sure that she has ever seen him legitimately angry before.

"Just what right did you have to steal these Pokemon from their trainers?!" he asked angrily. "People like you make me utterly sick. Pokemon aren't just means to gaining power, or weapons to be used. They have emotions just like the rest of us and deserve to be treated with the proper respect!"

"Coming from the person who keeps them trapped inside of those strange balls." Etna taunted with a knowing grin. "At least we had the decency to keep them trapped in an open space instead of inside of a machine."

This time, it was Kurt who retorted. "That doesn't make them any freer or happier! Don't ty to justify your own means by trying to place blame on someone else."

Etna's grin only widened. "Oh? So, you are also one of these trainers?" she asked. A small chuckle escaped her lips. "I'll admit, those of you who call yourself trainers are fairly interesting."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lowell asked with a raised brow.

"What I mean is that you trainers are left powerless, if not for the Pokemon to aid you. You use them for your own selfish means, like you are accusing us of doing. You are just a bunch of hypocrites." she insulted.

At this, Lowell and Kurt were having a hard time holding themselves back. "Don't you dare try comparing us to you! Unlike you, we treat our Pokemon with love and respect!"

"Calm down!" Erza warned them. "She is just trying to provoke you."

The woman in question shrugged her shoulders in response. "I'm simply speaking the truth. Does it really matter how well you treat them, if they are still being used? I don't think that you have the right to lecture me, when you are just as guilty."

Etna grinned when Lowell had finally snapped and began to run towards her. She raised her axe and prepared to strike. However, before Lowell could reach her, Erza jumped forward and grabbed him by his coat, pulling him back with her. Etna's axe dug into the floor where Lowell would've been standing, showing just how much power that it was packing.

Erza released her hold on Lowell, and he ended up dropping onto one of his knees. "You need to calm yourself. She wants to make you angry. It will only make you lose focus and become an easy target."

Lowell huffed from irritation. "I'm sorry. I just can't stand hearing someone like her talk as if she understands the first thing about the bonds we form with Pokemon."

Kurt nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. No kidding. I'd love nothing more than to wipe that annoying smirk off her face." he replied. That being said, he is well aware that he'd probably just end up getting hurt if he tried.

"I think we can all agree with that but attacking carelessly like that won't achieve anything." Carla scolded.

"That's right." Wendy nodded. "Considering that the brothers seemed to be afraid of her, that must mean that she shouldn't be taken lightly."

The ashy-eyed dark mage let out a humorous snicker as she watched them try to bring the trainer to his senses. "Man, this is better than I was expecting. Just your reactions to a little teasing is bringing me greater joy than I was hoping for."

A small growl escaped Lowell's mouth, but he then took a deep breath to calm himself. He can't afford to let himself play into the woman's hands. By the looks of things, they won't be able to free the Pokemon without fighting her first, and he would also like to interrogate her to find out exactly what her plans are. He won't be able to do any of that if he can't focus.

"Are you here just to mess with us, or was there another purpose?" Lowell asked. He is still irritated with her, but he has calmed himself to a point where he is more level-headed. "Plus, supposedly you weren't the only one giving out orders. I can only assume that your associate will be making an appearance, soon enough."

"You picked up on that, did you?" Etna asked. "Well, I guess that you are smarter than you look." she said, twirling her axe in one hand.

"Stop with the jokes already. I acted without thinking before, but don't take that as a reason to take me lightly."

She saw the serious look in his eyes, and it made her that much more excited. "You most certainly bark quite a lot. I just hope that your bite is as good as your bark." she warned, letting her magic flare up…literally.

Similar to Natsu, she coated her body in scorching hot flames, extending down her arm and onto her axe. However, before doing anything else, she briefly extinguished the flames on her left arm, using it to reach into one of her pockets for something. The others stayed on guard as she did this, unsure if it would be another weapon of sorts.

However, they were fairly surprised when instead, she took out a small key and promptly tossed it over to them. Lowell caught it, expecting her to attack at that moment. On the contrary, she just stood there, with a confident smirk on her face.

"I thought that I'd throw you a bone. In all honesty, I could care less about what you intend to do with those worthless pests now that they no longer serve a purpose for us." the fiery woman stated. "So, if somehow you manage to defeat me, which I highly doubt, then by all means you can take those pathetic creatures off our hands."

"Are you really so confident as to think that you can take this six of us on all at once?" Erza questioned.

Though, instead of receiving an answer, Etna began to laugh, clutching her chest with her free hand. She continued laughing for several moments before wiping away an imaginary tear from her eye.

"Oh, that is just priceless!" she exclaimed, looking back at the group with a malicious smile and a glare that could kill. "You seriously think that you are going to last more than a couple of minutes."

* * *

Around an hour before this, Levy and her team were walking through the streets of Yuma Town with despondent expressions on their face. After retrieving the stolen goods and returning them to their rightful owners, they collected their reward from the mayor and now they are just walking while checking out some of the different shops.

"T-the reward wasn't worth it." Levy said with a blush on her face.

"Yeah. You're telling me. If I run into those guys ever again, it'll be too soon." Jet agreed.

Droy was happily eating food that he had purchased from one of the street vendors. However, the others are surprised that he still has an appetite after what they just experienced. "I don't know, guys. They weren't all that bad."

"And that almost concerns me more than what we just witnessed." Jet responded.

"At least that's done. Now we can start heading back…and hopefully forget about that nightmare." Levy said releasing a breath of relief.

However, before they could make their way to the train, they heard some explosions coming from the distance. They turned to where the sound came from, and they saw smoke and dust rising from the other side of the mountain a ways away from the town.

After seeing that, despite the horrible day she has had so far, Levy couldn't help but get a bad feeling after seeing the smoke. "Guys, I think that we should go check things out over there and see if anyone is hurt."

After everything that happened today, the others would rather just go home and call it a quits. However, neither of them would feel good with themselves if someone had gotten hurt and they hadn't even tried helping.

Little did the three of them know that they would end up running into several people that they are very familiar with.

* * *

In the laboratory, Etna charged towards Erza. She raised it above her head, letting out a loud battle cry as she swung it down on Erza. However, her fellow red-head quickly blocked the slash with her sword.

The ground underneath Erza began to crack from the sheer force behind the attack, and streams of fire shot out to the side from where the two blades met. Erza looked up at her opponent's eyes, and despite her joking attitude before, she can tell that she is an experienced fighter.

Etna has a grin on her face, making her look almost giddy. "Well, isn't this exciting? I'm going toe-to-toe with _the_ Titania." she said, her grin quickly turning wicked. "Let's see if that title is the real deal, or if it is just for show."

The two of them pushed away from each other before immediately jumping back into the fight. Erza attempted to push Etna into being defensive; however, with the other woman's incredible strength, she had quickly turned the tables on her and put Erza on the defensive instead.

Etna made another hard swing, causing Erza to duck underneath it. She then lunged forward, intending on striking the other woman in her stomach. With the large swing she made with her axe, she had left herself open for an attack. However, it didn't matter, because as soon as Erza's sword made contact with her body, it went straight through her as if she wasn't even there.

Though, that wasn't the case. In fact, it looked as if the area where her sword would've struck had turned to fire just before it made contact. Erza's eyes were wide from shock as she looked up at the smirking woman.

"Surprise!" Erza was then knocked away by her axe, landing several feet away on one knee.

"Are you alright, Erza?" Lowell asked as he and the others appeared next to her side.

She nodded her head in reassurance. "I'm alright." she answered. Though, she then looked back at the woman, whose body has now returned to normal. "She is strong, and her magic somewhat reminds me of Juvia's."

"So, instead of being made out of water, her body is made out of fire?" Wendy asked.

"It seems like the most plausible explanation. Otherwise, my sword shouldn't have phased through her like that."

Kurt clenched his fist tight enough to where his knuckles began to turn white. "That doesn't sound good. How are we gonna fight someone that we can't even touch?"

Hearing his concern, Etna laughed before beginning to walk towards the group. "Exactly my point. As I said before, even if you do have a dragon slayer and the famous Titania on your side, my **Flame Body** makes me immune to any physical attack."

 _"_ _Talk about an improvement to the ability Flame Body. Compared to possibly burning your opponent, something like this is beyond formidable. However…"_ A small smirk appeared on his face. "That may be so, but you are still far from invulnerable." he stated.

"I'd like to hear you say that while I'm chopping you to bits!" she exclaimed, leaping into the air. She raised her axe above her head, allowing the blade to be surrounded in flames before bringing it down upon the group.

Lowell and the other quickly moved to the side, allowing them to witness the damage caused by just one of her strikes. Not only did the axe destroy the stone underneath them, but it also created a large wave of fire that went crashing into the wall behind them. The heat from it was enough to slightly melt the metal walls, making them all glad that they were able to avoid that attack.

However, if they continue to fight in here, it would become dangerous for the Pokemon. Plus, the room isn't very large, which doesn't give them very much room to work with.

The brown-haired trainer turned towards Wendy. "We need to get her out of this room before any of the Pokemon get caught in the crossfire. I'll distract her, and then you blow her away."

"A-are you sure? You used up a lot of your magic during your fight with the other brother." the younger girl said out of worry.

He gave her a small, reassuring grin and a small thumbs up. "I'm good to go. Don't worry about me."

When he received a nod of confirmation in return, he turned around to face the woman who had resumed her clash with Erza. Despite his instance to continue, he is still exhausted from the fight earlier. Though, with that in mind, he kept his distance before writing out a word with his magic.

" **Solid Script: Water!** " A rather large block of water appeared in front of him, ready to go.

"You might want to move out of the way, Erza!" he warned before sending the water spell their way.

Erza looked back and saw what he was planning, so she quickly jumped out of the way, just as Etna had swung her axe. When she looked up, she noticed the block of water flying towards her, causing her eyes to go wide for a moment before the spell hit her and turned into a wave of water.

As soon as the water had hit her, it began to steam and sizzle out due to the intense heat that she was emitting. However, it still seemed to have done some kind of damage, which is better than nothing.

While she was distracted with that, Lowell motioned for Wendy to jump in, which she did. Wind began to gather around her arms as she swung them forward, engulfing the woman in streams of wind. However, just to make sure it was strong enough, Sigilyph contributed by using **Air Cutter** to add to the already massive gust of wind.

With the overwhelming strength behind the combined attacks, it was enough to send Etna through the metallic wall and into the main area of the laboratory.

"Woah! Talk about being blown away." Kurt said in awe.

"If physical attacks aren't going to work against her, then I guess that we'll just have to resort to using special attacks." Lowell explained.

Erza nodded in understanding. "That, and she also seems to have a weakness to water. In which case…" Erza's body glowed for a moment before reappearing her Flame Empress armor. This one is primarily dark-red, but also has some black and orange parts. The breastplate reveals her shoulders and reaches down to her waste, revealing her legs. She is also wearing orange and black gauntlets with claw-like protrusions and similar styled knee guards.

In her hands is her Sea Empress Sword. The grip is made of scales with a fin-like guard, and the blade itself is long and is green in color.

Wendy smiled at the change in armor. "I remember this armor. It is the same combination you used during the Grand Magic Games. With your Flame Empress Armor, her fire will do less damage, and your Sea Empress Sword will give you the advantage."

Kurt couldn't help but blush a little, considering that this is the first time he has seen her use her Re-quip magic. Though, he ignored that to focus on the situation at hand. "I'll admit, that is definitely an impressive setup."

"Yes, but now isn't the time to admire her armor. I highly doubt that combined attack was enough to defeat that woman." Carla said.

The others agreed, and they quickly followed into the main area of the lab, where Etna is now standing up. She has a couple of cuts and bruises across her body. Though, neither the combined attack nor crashing through the wall seemed to phase her. Instead, she stood up like nothing had happened, brushing some dust off her clothes.

"Okay. I'll admit, that was pretty impressive. Though, I guess I should've expected that from a dragon slayer." she said as she picked her axe from off the ground. "Now, let's see what else you've got!"

She swung her axe horizontally, creating a stream of fire that shot towards the Fairy Tail mages. Erza was quick to respond by creating a wave of water with her sword that collided with the fire, cancelling it out and flying towards the fire mage.

The wave of water was cut away by the axe, before Sigilyph and Wendy both moved into position to attack.

Wendy took a deep breath, charging up to unleash a powerful **Sky Dragon Roar** , while Sigilyph began to charge up a **Psybeam**. The two of them released their attacks at the same time, which resulted in the Psybeam wrapping around the tornado-like winds.

To counter, Etna coated her axe in flames and threw it like a tomahawk. As the axe picked up speed, the flames intensified, almost resembling Flame Wheel.

The rainbow-colored tornado collided with the spinning axe, creating a small explosion where the two attacks met. The wind from the tornado knocked everyone back a bit, as well as helped return Etna's axe to her.

Etna was ready to charge in once more; however, out of the corner of her eye she was able to spot several fast projectiles flying her way. She quickly jumped back, letting the watery shuriken hit the ground and cause several small explosions.

Soon after, a shadowy sphere was shot towards her, which she blocked using her axe. However, the explosion that the sphere created had enough force to sent her sliding back a couple of feet. Once the smoke cleared up a bit, she took notice of the bipedal frog and purple ghost-like creature standing next to the two trainers.

Greninja has his arms crossed over his chest, whereas Sableye is still half-asleep, rubbing his tired eyes.

"It's about time we had a shot at her. Hearing what she said earlier really ticked me off." Greninja said while glaring at the woman across for him.

Sableye, on the other hand, didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about. "Huh? What did she say? I think I might've been asleep when that happened."

Etna rested her axe on her shoulder, observing the two new arrivals. "I see. So, these are your Pokemon." she said. "They definitely seem to be more impressive than those pests that we were dealing with. Perhaps I should take these two with me and see if they will give better results than the others." she said with a growing smirk.

"Like hell we'll let you do that!" Kurt exclaimed.

Lowell nodded his head in agreement. "The bond we share with our Pokemon isn't something that can be broken so easily. You might be powerful, but we have our own kind of strength."

The ashen-eyed woman raised a brow. "Oh really? And what is this strength that you talk about?"

Lowell smirked. "It's the same kind of strength that we share as guildmates and is one that you can't just take for yourself." he said, glancing towards Kurt.

Knowing where his friend was going with this, Kurt nodded in understanding, and he took out his motorcycle keys from his pocket. He also took out a wristband with a mega stone on it and tossed it over to Sableye.

Etna eyed the strange stone on the wristband cautiously, unaware of the power that it and the Keystone can create. _"What is that supposed to be?"_ she thought.

After Sableye slipped the wristband on, Kurt placed two fingers over the Keystone attached to his key. It shone bright, resulting in a similar rainbow-colored light to be emitted from Sableye's mega stone.

Erza looked at the duo in shock, remembering the last time they did something like this. It was during Lowell and Kurt's battle, where Charizard and Blaziken both underwent Mega Evolution. "Incredible. So, Sableye is capable of doing this, as well." she said in awe.

The others, aside from Lowell and Greninja, were also overcome by shock and awe. Sigilyph has never seen anything like this before, and never believed such a thing was possible. As for Wendy and Carla, they weren't expecting to see this happen again so soon. The last time, they were overcome by the massive amount of power the Mega Evolved Pokemon gave off. While it is a little less overwhelming with just one Pokemon, the amount of power is still nothing to laugh at.

As the light shined brighter, Sableye's power slowly continued to rise, making Edna's eyes widen in shock. "What incredible power. I wasn't expecting one of these creatures to be capable of such a feat."

"It isn't something that can be done by yourself." Kurt said, making Etna raise a brow.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This sort of power can only be achieved when people and Pokemon work together and have a strong enough bond. If you think that you can achieve such a thing forcefully, then you've got another thing coming." he explained. He then held his key further out as the light shined even brighter than before. "Now, let's show her what we can really do, Sableye! Mega Evolve!"

The lights emitted from his Keystone and Sableye's mega stone connected with each other, resulting in the transformation being completed. Once the rainbow light had finally dissipated, it revealed Sableye in his mega form.

The red jewel on his chest has been ripped out and grown in size, which is now being held in Mega Sableye's hands. His ears have elongated, and a spike formed on the top of his head. His eyes are also now a crimson red, instead of their normal blue.

After his transformation was complete, he stretched his arms a bit, enjoying the burst in energy that he is feeling. "Ah man! That definitely wakes a guy up! Alright, now I'm ready to kick some serious butt!" he declared, making the others sweat-drop.

 _"_ _Is that really what it took for him to wake up?"_ they thought in unison.

After the initial shock dulled down, Etna looked at the Mega Evolved Pokemon with intrigue. _"So, if one has those two stones, then they can cause this transformation and spike of power? This might be worth mentioning to the master when I get back."_

"So, what do you think?" Kurt asked with a smug grin.

Etna returned it with her own. "I think that this might actually prove to be entertaining. Let's see just how much this little transformation is actually worth."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, after nearly another month, another chapter is finally done! I apologize for the wait, once again. Not only have I been dealing with some things regarding college and family matters, but then I also made a couple of changes to how I was originally going to do this chapter. At the moment, I don't think that it will have too much affect on the story, but later on, it will.**

 **Anyways, I left things off with a bit of a cliff hanger. I was originally going to make the entire fight happen in this chapter, and then have this chapter be the end of this little arc. However, I kind of wanted to make Mega Sableye's fight against Etna and the conclusion of the fight be the focus point of the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take another month for me to update this story. Though by the looks of it, in total, I might be able to get out another two or three updates across both of my stories before I start college once again. After that, depending on what happens, I may or may not be able to update very often. This time around, I will have five classes instead of four, plus, I am also hoping to find myself a job. If that happens, then I won't have very much time for writing. This won't be happening for a while, but I am just giving a heads up.**

 **Also, I have another poll up. I'm in no rush for the results, since this is more of a long-term thing than anything else, but I still want to hear what you guys think about it!**

 **With all of that said and done, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please leave a review, because like always, I am eager to hear what all of you think! Lately, I find that I have been elongating a lot of my descriptions, and I feel as though even after cutting some of them out of this chapter, that some explanations are a bit too long-winded. So, that is also something that I'd like to get some feedback on. Anyways, with that out of the way, I hope that you all have a wonderful rest of the day/night!**


	25. Update

Hey, everyone. I know that it has been a while since the last time this story has been updated, and this update will hopefully answer whatever questions you might have.

Anyways, for a while, I've been feeling...unsatisfied, with myself, and with how things have been going lately. College has been a bit more stressful lately, but that is only a part of what has been going on. I've also been struggling with a bit of an internal struggle. Originally, my goal of writing fanfiction was to practice my writing skills. Although, as I continued writing Fanfiction, I took it a bit more seriously, and I also began to make some friends on the site. I genuinely enjoyed writing my stories and everything involved with the process. Although, for the past couple of months, I haven't been feeling the same joy that I used to, and updates have felt a lot more forced. I don't want writing to feel that way for me. So, I've been considering something for a while, and I've finally made my decision. For now, at least, I think that I am going to put my fanfictions on the backseat for a while.

I know that this might be upsetting for some, but I think that this decision might be the best one for me. There are other things that I want to do, and I put them aside, because I also wanted to focus on my stories here on Fanfiction. Although, as I get older, and as I go through college, I keep feeling like I'm not doing what I truly want to do. I have ideas for stories outside of fanfiction, and I want to spend more time writing those ideas. My ultimate goal is to still publish my own book one day, but I have been neglecting that goal, and I don't want to neglect it anymore.

So, for the time being, I won't be as active on FanFiction. I won't go away entirely, though, because I do feel bad for leaving my two current stories unfinished. So, what I plan on doing is being more...sporadic, I guess. I won't update a story unless I feel comfortable with the chapter. I also won't force myself to write, because I feel like this is a part of the reason why I haven't been enjoying writing like I should. Perhaps every now and again I'll do another one-shot, or I'll be in the mood to update one of my two main stories. Although, I won't have a specific schedule that I will update, nor will I promise when I will update next, because I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. Ultimately, I am trying to do what I believe will make me happy, and I hope that all of you understand that.

That being said, I must thank so many people for supporting me, as I never thought that my stories would receive such positive feedback. I especially thank InsaneDominator for inspiring me for so long, and for continuously supporting my stories. It means a lot to me.

Once again, don't worry. I won't be gone forever. Fanfiction, after all, has been one of the things that has helped me grow as a writer and that has pushed me to keep moving forward. I still want to one day finish both of my current stories, and I plan on making that happen, eventually. I just think that it is important that I prioritize other things in life.

So, thank you all for supporting me for so long! It is hard for me to express just how much it truly means to me, because I truly appreciate all of the feedback my readers have given me over this past year. Again, I will still update my stories when I feel comfortable in doing it. I just can't guarantee how often that will be. So, with all of that said and done, I hope that all of you have a wonderful day/night, and I will see all of you again soon, hopefully!

~Jalarious27


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